Trip from Irvine, CA to Suisun, CA

Drive Time

8h 7m

Distance

438.1 mi

705 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$101

one way

EV Charging

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 24 min

4 AM

8h 0m ★

6 AM

8h 8m

8 AM

8h 24m

10 AM

8h 14m

12 PM

8h 12m

3 PM

8h 14m

5 PM

8h 23m

8 PM

8h 3m

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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Irvine, CA

Stephen Leonardi

Suisun, CA

Dominik Gryzbon

Trip Overview

Traveling from Irvine to Suisun covers approximately 438.1 miles and typically requires about 8 hours and 7 minutes of pure driving time. Because this journey is almost entirely highway-focused, it is best approached as a two-day trip rather than a single grueling day behind the wheel. Budgeting around $101 for fuel is a smart way to prepare for the costs of this Pacific Coast transit. You will rely heavily on the Golden State Freeway, the Westside Freeway, and I-5 Truck routes to navigate through California. While the drive is efficient, splitting the trip into two days allows you to maintain a manageable pace across the state. Expect a straightforward, utilitarian experience that prioritizes speed and directness over scenic detours.

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

219.1 miles from Irvine, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 5m into the drive .

Drive Character

This route is defined by its high-speed, highway-focused nature, with 92% of the journey spent on major interstates. You should be prepared for a consistent pace, particularly on the Westside Freeway, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 225.6 miles. The character of the drive is largely a long-haul interstate grind, designed for efficient transit rather than leisurely sightseeing. Transitions between the Golden State Freeway and other segments are seamless, keeping your momentum steady throughout the 438.1-mile trek. Expect a predictable, high-traffic environment where the road surface remains largely consistent from start to finish.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.

There are about 42 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 225.6 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 38 significant decision points across 438.1 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 390.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 38 key points

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

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

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

390.6 mi into trip | ~7h 11m in

Take the exit toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek

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 44B Toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacr...

390.8 mi into trip | ~7h 11m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacr...

411.3 mi into trip | ~7h 35m in | I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 680 / Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento

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

Use the none lane. Toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento

Towns Along This Route

Between Irvine, CA and Suisun, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco, Sacramento, Concord and Walnut Creek.

San Francisco

354.1 mi in | ~6h 30m | via I 580

Sacramento

390.6 mi in | ~7h 11m

Concord

390.6 mi in | ~7h 11m

Walnut Creek

390.6 mi in | ~7h 11m

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Westside Freeway	225.6 mi	4h 1m
Golden State Freeway	50 mi	57m
I 5 Truck	37.7 mi	43m
Santa Ana Freeway	29.6 mi	34m
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway	19.6 mi	22m
William Elton Brown Freeway	17 mi	18m
Donald D Doyle Highway	15.2 mi	17m
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway	12.9 mi	14m

Longest stretch: Westside Freeway — 225.6 mi, about 4h 1m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

Start on I 405

1.4 mi · 1 min · San Diego Freeway

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 21 sec

Exit 4 Toward University Drive, Jeffrey Road

Turn left onto Jeffrey Road

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Jeffrey Road

Use the left lane.

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 18 sec

Toward I 405 North: Los Angeles Use the straight / right lanes.

Merge onto I 405

4.2 mi · 4 min · San Diego Freeway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec

Exit 9A Toward CA 55 South, CA 55 North: Freeway Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.5 mi · 35 sec

Toward CA 55 North Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

Merge onto CA 55

3.2 mi · 3 min · Costa Mesa Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 55

0.4 mi · 28 sec · Costa Mesa Freeway

Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 46 sec

Exit 10B Toward I 5 North: Santa Ana Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 5

0.5 mi · 36 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

1.7 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

9.4 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

18 mi · 20 min · Santa Ana Freeway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

25 mi · 29 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

2.2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

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.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck

36 mi · 41 min · I 5 Truck

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 5

22 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 5

226 mi · 4 hr 1 min · Westside Freeway

Toward I 5 North Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 580

16 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass

1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

Merge onto I 580

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

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 580

1.6 mi · 1 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

Use the none lane.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 16 sec

Exit 44B Toward I 680 South, I 680 North: San Jose, Sacramento, Concord, Walnut Creek Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 30 sec

Toward I 680 North: Walnut Creek, Concord, Sacramento Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Merge onto I 680

15 mi · 17 min · Donald D Doyle Highway

Use the none lane.

Continue on I 680

5.0 mi · 5 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Toward I 680, CA 24 Use the none lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 680

6.0 mi · 6 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Toward I 680 North: Martinez, Sacramento Use the none lane.

Keep slight left at fork onto I 680

243 ft · 3 sec · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 680

1.8 mi · 2 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

Use the slight right lane.

Keep slight right at fork onto I 680

0.4 mi · 26 sec · Benicia-Martinez Bridge

Continue on I 680

12 mi · 13 min · Luther E Gibson Freeway

Use the none lane.

Keep slight right at fork

0.4 mi · 55 sec

Exit 71A Toward I 80 East, CA 12 East: Fairfield, Sacramento

Merge onto I 80; CA 12

1.7 mi · 1 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 12

3.8 mi · 5 min · CA 12

Toward CA 12 East: Rio Vista Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 27 sec

Keep slight right at fork

217 ft · 5 sec

Turn slight right onto Lotz Way

479 ft · 16 sec · Lotz Way

Turn left onto Main Street

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Main Street

Use the straight / left lanes.

Turn left onto Solano Street

103 ft · 4 sec · Solano Street

Arrive at destination

Solano Street

Trip Plan

To make the most of your 438.1-mile transit, plan for at least two strategic stops to break up the monotony of the long highway stretches. Leaving early in the morning is highly recommended to avoid the heaviest congestion near major urban centers. Given the 225.6-mile longest stretch on the Westside Freeway, ensure your fuel levels are sufficient before committing to that section of the drive. If you find the 8-hour duration daunting, consider splitting the trip at a midpoint to keep your focus sharp behind the wheel. Proactively managing your breaks will make this highway-heavy route feel significantly more manageable.

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 219.1 miles from Irvine, CA, or about 4h 5m into the drive.

The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.6 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 96 miles or 1h 51m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 219.1 miles or 4h 5m 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 219.1 miles or 4h 5m

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 6h 56m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Suisun, 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 219 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Suisun, CA

Aim for roughly 219 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 96 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 225.6 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 219.1 mi from Irvine, CA · 4h 5m into the drive

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Bakersfield, CA

219 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

Popular next leg

Bakersfield, CA to Suisun, CA

295.6 mi · 5h 31m

Overnight Options

Night 1

Bakersfield, CA

219 mi · about 4.1h in

A practical overnight split lands near Bakersfield, CA after about 219 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Santa Clarita, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 96 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Fresno, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 219.1 miles from Irvine, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 219 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.

Arriving in Suisun, CA

The final approach into Suisun, 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 Suisun, CA.

On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Suisun, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$101.45 one way

$202.91 round trip

$5.88/gal 25.4 MPG avg 153 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$6.07	$104.63	$209.25
premium	$6.24	$107.68	$215.36
diesel	$5.64	$97.33	$194.66

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$101

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$231–$341

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 153.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $46 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	Stops	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	131.4	1	$46.00	$21.03
Efficient EV	109.5	1	$38.33	$17.52
EV Truck/SUV	175.2	2	$61.33	$28.04

Gas CO2

153 kg

EV CO2

51 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

Irvine, CA

Afternoon in Irvine on Sunday

Local time

1:36 PM

PDT

Current temp

74°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Suisun, CA

Afternoon in Suisun on Sunday

Local time

1:36 PM

PDT

Current temp

48°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

26 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 7m 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 Suisun, CA covers 438.1 miles and takes about 8h 7m 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 219 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 219.1 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 $101.45 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.

Between Irvine, CA and Suisun, CA, road signs point toward San Francisco, Sacramento, Concord and Walnut Creek.

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Return Trip

Suisun, CA to Irvine, CA

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428.6 mi 8h 6m

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Trip from Irvine, CA to Suisun, CA

Best Time to Leave

Trip Overview

Drive Character

How Hard Is This Drive?

Critical Maneuvers

Towns Along This Route

Main Roads

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Trip Plan

Before You Leave

Where to Stop

Overnight Options

Pacing Suggestions

Arriving in Suisun, CA

Fuel & Cost

Travel Intel

Irvine, CA

Suisun, CA

Same local time

26 degrees cooler at arrival

8h 7m on the road

Frequently Asked Questions

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