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Trip from Emeryville, CA to Fremont, CA

Drive Time

38m

Distance

28.9 mi

47 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min
4 AM
0h 35m ★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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Downtown Emeryville, CA, CA

Emeryville, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Emeryville, CA to Fremont, CA covers 28.9 miles and takes about 38m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 880, Nimitz Freeway, Mowry Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.6 miles on I 880. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.69 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

14.5 miles from Emeryville, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 20m into the drive .

Drive Character

This is a 38m highway drive covering 28.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 13.6 miles on I 880.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 880 is the longest continuous segment at about 13.6 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

68 ft 11 ft

Total Climb

135 ft

Total Descent

105 ft

Highest Point

68 ft

~16.9 mi in

Elevation Range

57 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue.

Route Complexity 10/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 28.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.5 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 13 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue

Turn right onto CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
2.7 mi into trip | ~6m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 880 South: San Jose

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 1A Toward I 880 South: San Jose
6
13.5 mi into trip | ~19m in | I 880

Keep slight left at fork onto I 880

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
6
19.1 mi into trip | ~26m in | I 880

Keep slight left at fork onto I 880

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane.
8
27 mi into trip | ~34m in

Take the exit toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 17 Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 880 13.6 mi 14m
Nimitz Freeway 10.4 mi 12m
Mowry Avenue 1.6 mi 3m
San Pablo Avenue 1.2 mi 2m
John B. Williams Freeway 0.4 mi <1m
Brush Street 0.3 mi <1m
40th Street 0.2 mi <1m
Harlan Street <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 880 — 13.6 mi, about 14m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Emeryville, CA and Fremont, CA.

1

Start on Park Avenue

466 ft · 22 sec · Park Avenue
2

Turn right onto Harlan Street

473 ft · 22 sec · Harlan Street
3

Turn left onto 40th Street

0.2 mi · 43 sec · 40th Street
4

Turn right onto CA 123

1.2 mi · 2 min · San Pablo Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Turn right onto Brush Street

0.3 mi · 54 sec · Brush Street
Use the right lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Toward I 980 West
7

Merge onto I 980

0.4 mi · 38 sec · John B. Williams Freeway
8

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 36 sec
Exit 1A Toward I 880 South: San Jose
9

Merge onto I 880

10 mi · 12 min · Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 880

5.6 mi · 6 min · I 880
Use the slight left lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto I 880

2.4 mi · 2 min · I 880
Use the slight left lane.
12

Keep slight left at fork onto I 880

5.6 mi · 6 min · I 880
Use the slight left lane.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Exit 17 Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn left

116 ft · 3 sec
Use the left lane.
15

Turn straight onto Mowry Avenue

0.1 mi · 10 sec · Mowry Avenue
16

Continue on Mowry Avenue

1.5 mi · 2 min · Mowry Avenue
17

Arrive at destination

Mowry Avenue

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 14.5 miles from Emeryville, CA, or about 20m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 13.6 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 28.9 miles or 38m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 14.5 miles or 20m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 32m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fremont, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Emeryville, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Emeryville, CA

This is one driving day of about 28.9 miles and 38m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Emeryville, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on I 880 for about 13.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 14.5 mi from Emeryville, CA · 20m into the drive

Downtown Hayward, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Hayward, CA

14 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Popular next leg

Hayward, CA to Fremont, CA

13.1 mi · 18m

Pacing Suggestions

Union City, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 28.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Hayward, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 14.5 miles from Emeryville, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fremont, CA

The final approach into Fremont, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Fremont, CA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.69 one way

$13.39 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 10 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $6.90 $13.80
premium $6.24 $7.10 $14.21
diesel $5.64 $6.42 $12.84

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$7

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$32–$57

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 8.7 0 $3.03 $1.39
Efficient EV 7.2 0 $2.53 $1.16
EV Truck/SUV 11.6 0 $4.05 $1.85

Gas CO2

10 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (70% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 8 hours ago

Origin

Emeryville, CA

Afternoon in Emeryville on Sunday

Local time

4:08 PM

PDT

Current temp

61°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 13 mph 83% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 6:50AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 6:49AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Destination

Fremont, CA

Afternoon in Fremont on Sunday

Local time

4:08 PM

PDT

Current temp

60°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

SW 8 to 14 mph 77% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued April 12 at 6:50AM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 6:49AM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA

Along the Route

38°F

Hayward, CA

14 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

1 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

38m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Emeryville, CA to Fremont, CA covers 28.9 miles and takes about 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 880, Nimitz Freeway, Mowry Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.5 miles from Emeryville, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.69 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 28.9 miles, you will need to stay alert — especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 13.5 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Emeryville, CA to Fremont, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Return Trip

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Plan the drive back the other way.

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