Origin
Foster City, CA
Evening in Foster City on Wednesday
Local time
7:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Foster City, CA to Redwood City, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
11m
Distance
7 mi
11 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 10m
★
6 AM
0h 11m
8 AM
0h 13m
10 AM
0h 12m
12 PM
0h 12m
3 PM
0h 12m
5 PM
0h 13m
8 PM
0h 11m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Foster City, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Redwood City, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
The drive from Foster City, CA to Redwood City, CA covers 7 miles and takes about 11m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Bayshore Freeway, East Hillsdale Boulevard, Veterans Boulevard for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 3.9 miles on Bayshore Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.61 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
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
3.5 miles from Foster City, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 5m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Foster City, CA to Redwood City, CA covers 7 miles and takes about 11m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 9 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Bayshore Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 3.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East Hillsdale Boulevard.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 11m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Hillsdale Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 6 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Hillsdale Boulevard
Turn left onto East Hillsdale Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / uturn lanes.
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 South: San Jose
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward US 101 South: San Jose
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Merge onto US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
5.7 mi into trip
|
~8m in
Take the exit toward Whipple Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 409
Toward Whipple Avenue
4
6.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
Brewster Avenue
Turn right onto Brewster Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bayshore Freeway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| East Hillsdale Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Veterans Boulevard | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Brewster Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Shell Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Bayshore Freeway
— 3.9 mi, about 4m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Foster City, CA and Redwood City, CA.
1
Start on Shell Boulevard
61 ft
·
3 sec
·
Shell Boulevard
2
Turn left onto East Hillsdale Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
East Hillsdale Boulevard
Use the left / uturn lanes.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Jose
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Merge onto US 101
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 409
Toward Whipple Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on Veterans Boulevard
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Veterans Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn right onto Brewster Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Brewster Avenue
8
Turn left
477 ft
·
20 sec
9
Arrive at destination
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 3.5 miles from Foster City, CA, or about 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 3.9 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 7 miles or 11m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 3.5 miles or 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Redwood City, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Foster City, CA.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Foster City, CA
This is one driving day of about 7 miles and 11m.
At 7 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Bayshore Freeway for about 3.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 3.5 mi from Foster City, CA · 5m into the drive
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 3.5 miles from Foster City, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Redwood City, CA
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Redwood City, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.61 one way
$3.22 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $1.66 | $3.32 |
| premium | $6.18 | $1.70 | $3.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.55 | $3.09 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$27–$52
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.1 | 0 | $0.74 | $0.34 |
| Efficient EV | 1.8 | 0 | $0.61 | $0.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.98 | $0.45 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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.
Destination
Redwood City, CA
Evening in Redwood City on Wednesday
Local time
7:30 PM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
11m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Foster City, CA to Redwood City, CA covers 7 miles and takes about 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Bayshore Freeway, East Hillsdale Boulevard, Veterans Boulevard. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.5 miles from Foster City, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.61 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 straightforward 11m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East Hillsdale Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Foster City, CA to Redwood City, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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