Origin
Fremont, CA
Late night in Fremont on Saturday
Local time
2:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Fremont, CA to San Leandro, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
24m
Distance
17.8 mi
29 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 26m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Leandro, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Fremont, CA to San Leandro, CA covers 17.8 miles and takes about 24m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Nimitz Freeway, I 880, East 14th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 6.4 miles on Nimitz Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.09 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Fremont, CA
Full guide →Founded 1956
Fremont is a suburban city in the southern part of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; it is the 4th largest city in the Bay Area by population. Fremont is in the southern part of Alameda County, California, between Union City to the north, Sunol and the hills to the east, Milpitas and Santa Clara County to the south, and the San Francisco Bay to the west. The city of Newark, near the edge of the Bay, is surrounded by the city of Fremont. Fremont industry is not particularly large relative to other parts of the Bay Area, but neither is it a bedroom community. Many people in Fremont work locally in the electronics and high-tech industry, while many others commute to Silicon Valley or San Francisco locations for work.
Top landmarks
- • Mission San José — 18th-century Spanish mission in Fremont, California
- • Ardenwood Historic Farm — human settlement in California, United States of America
- • Niles Depot Museum — railway museum in Niles, California
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 24m. Total distance: 17.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (71%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 24m highway drive covering 17.8 miles, with most of the trip on Nimitz Freeway and I 880. The longest continuous stretch is about 6.4 miles on Nimitz Freeway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 10 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Nimitz Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Nimitz Freeway and I 880. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in near I 880 / Nimitz Freeway.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 17.8 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Merge onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~11m 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.
7
14.3 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Hesperian Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 30
Toward Hesperian Boulevard
5
14.4 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Hesperian Boulevard
Turn right onto Hesperian Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
17.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
West Estudillo Avenue
Turn left onto West Estudillo Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nimitz Freeway | 6.4 mi | 7m |
| I 880 | 6.1 mi | 6m |
| East 14th Street | 1.9 mi | 3m |
| Hesperian Boulevard | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Mowry Avenue | 1.4 mi | 3m |
| West Estudillo Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nimitz Freeway
— 6.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fremont, CA and San Leandro, CA.
1
Start on Mowry Avenue
109 ft
·
4 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
2
Continue on Mowry Avenue
1.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Mowry Avenue
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
4
Merge onto I 880
6.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
6.1 mi
·
6 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Exit 30
Toward Hesperian Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto Hesperian Boulevard
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Hesperian Boulevard
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto CA 185
1.9 mi
·
3 min
·
East 14th Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
9
Turn left onto West Estudillo Avenue
61 ft
·
2 sec
·
West Estudillo Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Arrive at destination
West Estudillo Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.09 one way
$8.18 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.22 | $8.43 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.33 | $8.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.93 | $7.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.87 | $0.85 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.56 | $0.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
San Leandro, CA
Late night in San Leandro on Saturday
Local time
2:15 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°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
18 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
24m 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 Fremont, CA to San Leandro, CA covers 17.8 miles and takes about 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Nimitz Freeway, I 880, East 14th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.9 miles from Fremont, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.09 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 17.8 miles you will encounter 7 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.1 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Fremont, CA to San Leandro, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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