Trip from Hayward, CA to Fontana, CA

Drive Time

7h 28m

Distance

402.6 mi

648 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$93

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 31 min
4 AM
7h 18m ★
6 AM
7h 28m
8 AM
7h 49m
10 AM
7h 36m
12 PM
7h 33m
3 PM
7h 37m
5 PM
7h 48m
8 PM
7h 22m

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

Downtown Hayward, CA, CA

Hayward, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Trip Overview

The drive from Hayward, CA to Fontana, CA covers 402.6 miles and takes about 7h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Jackson Street, Foothill Boulevard, A Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $93.23 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

201.3 miles from Hayward, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 44m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 7h 28m drive with frequent turns across 402.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Jackson Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 4/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 28m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hayward, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Jackson Street Unavailable Refreshing
Foothill Boulevard Unavailable Refreshing
A Street Unavailable Refreshing
Redwood Road Unavailable Refreshing
I 580 East Unavailable Refreshing
Arthur H Unavailable Refreshing
William Elton Brown Freeway Unavailable Refreshing
Westside Freeway Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: Jackson Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Hayward, CA and Fontana, CA.

1

Start on Mission Boulevard

233 ft · 9 sec · Mission Boulevard
2

Turn right

180 ft · 15 sec
3

Turn slight right onto Jackson Street

240 ft · 7 sec · Jackson Street
4

Continue on Foothill Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · Foothill Boulevard
5

Turn right onto A Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · A Street
6

Continue on Redwood Road

0.5 mi · 59 sec · Redwood Road
7

Take the ramp right toward I 580 East: Stockton

0.3 mi · 37 sec · I 580 East: Stockton
8

Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

10 mi · 11 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
9

Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

18 mi · 20 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
10

Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

11 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
11

Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
12

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

224 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
13

Keep slight right

58 mi · 1 hr 6 min
14

Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

2.0 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
15

Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

0.3 mi · 18 sec · I 210 East: Pasadena
16

Continue on Foothill Freeway

24 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway
17

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

19 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway
18

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

2.9 mi · 3 min · Foothill Freeway
19

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.4 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
20

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.2 mi · 1 min · Foothill Freeway
21

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

1.8 mi · 2 min · Foothill Freeway
22

Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

16 mi · 18 min · Foothill Freeway
23

Take the exit slight right toward Sierra Avenue

0.3 mi · 46 sec · Sierra Avenue
24

Turn right onto Sierra Avenue

3.0 mi · 5 min · Sierra Avenue
25

Turn left onto Merrill Avenue

207 ft · 4 sec · Merrill Avenue
26

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 201.3 miles from Hayward, CA, or about 3h 44m into the drive.

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 89 miles or 1h 39m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 201.3 miles or 3h 44m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h 21m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Hayward, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Hayward, CA

This is one driving day of about 402.6 miles and 7h 28m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 89 miles from Hayward, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 201.3 mi from Hayward, CA · 3h 44m into the drive

Downtown Bakersfield, CA, CA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bakersfield, CA

201 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

Bakersfield, CA to Fontana, CA

157.6 mi · 3h 3m

Pacing Suggestions

Lathrop, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 89 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bakersfield, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 201.3 miles from Hayward, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Fontana, CA

The final approach into Fontana, 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 Fontana, 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

$93.23 one way

$186.46 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 141 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.07 $96.15 $192.30
premium $6.24 $98.95 $197.91
diesel $5.64 $89.44 $178.89

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$93

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$118–$143

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 140.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $42 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 120.8 1 $42.27 $19.32
Efficient EV 100.7 1 $35.23 $16.10
EV Truck/SUV 161 2 $56.36 $25.77

Gas CO2

141 kg

EV CO2

47 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 3 days ago

Origin

Hayward, CA

Morning in Hayward on Monday

Local time

10:44 AM

PDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Fontana, CA

Morning in Fontana on Monday

Local time

10:44 AM

PDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

4 degrees warmer at arrival

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

Road read

7h 28m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Hayward, CA to Fontana, CA covers 402.6 miles and takes about 7h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Jackson Street, Foothill Boulevard, A Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 201.3 miles from Hayward, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $93.23 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 28m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Hayward, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Hayward, CA to Fontana, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Fontana, CA to Hayward, CA

Plan the drive back the other way.

403.1 mi 7h 28m

Explore more options from Hayward, CA or browse trips ending in Fontana, CA.

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