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Trip from Irvine, CA to Auburn, CA

Data updated 1 hour ago

Drive Time

8h 30m

Distance

461.3 mi

742 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$106

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
8h 22m ★
6 AM
8h 30m
8 AM
8h 45m
10 AM
8h 35m
12 PM
8h 34m
3 PM
8h 36m
5 PM
8h 45m
8 PM
8h 26m

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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city in Orange County, California, United States

Irvine, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city and the county seat of Placer County, California, United States

Auburn, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Irvine, CA to Auburn, CA covers 461.3 miles and takes about 8h 30m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on Westside Freeway, Golden State Freeway, I 5 Truck for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 297.1 miles on Westside Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $106.03 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

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

Midpoint

230.6 miles from Irvine, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 17m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 8h 30m highway drive covering 461.3 miles, with most of the trip on Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 297.1 miles on Westside Freeway.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 34 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Westside Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 297.1 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Westside Freeway and Golden State Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.3 miles in.

Route Complexity 10/10

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

This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 461.3 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 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 425.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 30 key points

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

8
6.3 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the exit toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 9A Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway
9
68.6 mi into trip | ~1h 19m in | I 5 Truck

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
8
425.6 mi into trip | ~7h 48m in

Take the exit toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 518 Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South L...
10
425.8 mi into trip | ~7h 49m in

Keep slight right at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South La...
9
426 mi into trip | ~7h 49m in

Keep slight left at fork toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Irvine, CA and Auburn, CA, road signs point toward Lake Tahoe, Broadway and Fresno.

Lake Tahoe

425.6 mi in | ~7h 48m

Broadway

425.8 mi in | ~7h 49m

Fresno

427.9 mi in | ~7h 51m | via I 80 Business

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Westside Freeway 297.1 mi 5h 20m
Golden State Freeway 50 mi 57m
I 5 Truck 37.7 mi 43m
Santa Ana Freeway 29.6 mi 34m
Alan S. Hart Freeway 16.6 mi 19m
Capital City Freeway 10.6 mi 11m
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway 7 mi 8m
San Diego Freeway 5.6 mi 6m
Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 297.1 mi, about 5h 20m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Irvine, CA and Auburn, CA.

1

Start on I 405

1.4 mi · 1 min · San Diego Freeway
2

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec
Exit 4 Toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road
3

Turn left onto Jeffrey Road

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Jeffrey Road
Use the left lane.
4

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 405 North: Los Angeles Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Merge onto I 405

4.2 mi · 4 min · San Diego Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec
Exit 9A Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway Use the slight right lane.
7

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 35 sec
Toward CA 55 North Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8

Merge onto CA 55

3.2 mi · 3 min · Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 55

0.4 mi · 28 sec · Costa Mesa Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 46 sec
Exit 10B Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto I 5

0.5 mi · 36 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

1.7 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
13

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

9.4 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
14

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

18 mi · 20 min · Santa Ana Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

25 mi · 29 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5 Truck

1.5 mi · 1 min · I 5 Truck
Exit 161A Toward I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway
Toward I 5 North Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

26 mi · 27 min · Westside Freeway
22

Keep left at fork onto I 5

46 mi · 50 min · Westside Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 12 sec
Exit 518 Toward US 50, I 80 East: San Francisco, South Lake Tahoe Use the slight right lane.
24

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 12 sec
Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 Business East: South Lake Tahoe, Broadway Use the slight right lane.
25

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 1 min
Exit 518 Toward US 50 East, I 80 East: South Lake Tahoe Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Merge onto US 50; I 80 Business

1.2 mi · 1 min · Capital City Freeway
27

Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 Business

9.4 mi · 10 min · Capital City Freeway
Toward I 80 Business East, CA 99 South: Reno, Fresno Use the slight right lane.
28

Continue on I 80

7.0 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29

Continue on I 80

17 mi · 19 min · Alan S. Hart Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30

Take the exit

349 ft · 8 sec
Exit 119A Toward Maple Street Use the slight right lane.
31

Keep slight left at fork onto Maple Street

0.2 mi · 20 sec · Maple Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32

Turn right

75 ft · 6 sec
33

Turn right

183 ft · 13 sec
34

Arrive at 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.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 230.6 miles from Irvine, CA, or about 4h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 297.1 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

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

First stop

Around 101 miles or 1h 57m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 230.6 miles or 4h 17m in

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

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 230.6 miles or 4h 17m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 7h 21m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Irvine, 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.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Irvine, CA

Aim for roughly 231 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Auburn, CA

Aim for roughly 231 miles and 4.3 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 101 miles from Irvine, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Westside Freeway for about 297.1 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 230.6 mi from Irvine, CA · 4h 17m into the drive

city and county seat of Kern County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Bakersfield, CA

231 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Bakersfield, CA

Overnight Options

Night 1

Bakersfield, CA

231 mi · about 4.3h in

A practical overnight split lands near Bakersfield, CA after about 231 miles or 4.3 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Los Angeles, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 101 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bakersfield, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 230.6 miles from Irvine, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 231 miles or 4.3 hours on the road.

Arriving in Auburn, CA

The final approach into Auburn, 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 Auburn, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Auburn, CA with some flexibility left in the schedule.

After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.

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

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultura...

22 mi from route ~55 min detour Free near mile 63.6
View on nps.gov
César E. Chávez National Monument

César E. Chávez National Monument

National Monument

Yes, we can! Widely recognized as the most important Latino leader in the United States during the twentieth century, Cesar Chavez led farm workers and supporters in the establishment of the country's...

27 mi from route ~68 min detour Free near mile 127.3
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$106.03 one way

$212.05 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 161 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $109.26 $218.52
premium $6.18 $112.18 $224.37
diesel $5.61 $101.85 $203.70

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$106

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$236–$346

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 161.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $48 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 138.4 1 $48.44 $22.14
Efficient EV 115.3 1 $40.36 $18.45
EV Truck/SUV 184.5 2 $64.58 $29.52

Gas CO2

161 kg

EV CO2

54 kg (66% 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 1 hour ago

Origin

Irvine, CA

Evening in Irvine on Tuesday

Local time

5:49 PM

PDT

Current temp

72°F

Sunny

SW 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Lake Wind Advisory

Lake Wind Advisory issued April 14 at 2:09PM PDT until April 16 at 7:00AM PDT by NWS Reno NV

Destination

Auburn, CA

Evening in Auburn on Tuesday

Local time

5:49 PM

PDT

Current temp

49°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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

23 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

8h 30m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Irvine, CA to Auburn, CA covers 461.3 miles and takes about 8h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Westside Freeway, Golden State Freeway, I 5 Truck. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 231 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 230.6 miles from Irvine, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $106.03 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.
This is a demanding drive. With 30 significant decision points across 461.3 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 6.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 68.6 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 425.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Irvine, CA and Auburn, CA, road signs point toward Lake Tahoe, Broadway and Fresno.

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Auburn, CA to Irvine, CA

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