Origin
Kensington, CA
Evening in Kensington on Friday
Local time
7:35 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kensington, CA to Oakland, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
11.1 mi
18 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 24m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kensington, CA
Stephen Leonardi
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This quick 11.1-mile drive from Kensington to Oakland, California, is a straightforward urban transit that can be completed in about 20 minutes. Primarily utilizing the Eastshore Freeway and San Pablo Avenue, it's a route well-suited for a single day, requiring no overnight stops. With an estimated fuel cost of just $3, this trip is very budget-friendly. The drive offers a mixed experience, blending freeway speeds with local road navigation, making it a practical option for getting between these two Pacific Coast communities.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 11.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (49%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
You'll experience a mixed drive profile on this journey, with 49% of the route on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 4.7 miles along the Eastshore Freeway, offering a period of consistent speed. The drive will transition between the faster pace of the freeway and the more varied conditions of surface streets like San Pablo Avenue and Moeser Lane. This blend means you'll need to be ready to adjust your driving style as you navigate through different urban environments.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Eastshore Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 4.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.1 miles in near CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 11.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.3 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
2.1 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 580 / Interstate Highway 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / Interstate Highway 80 toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oaklan...
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockt...
8
8.8 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, E...
9
9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kensington, CA and Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
Hayward
8 mi in
|
~13m
|
via I 580
Stockton
8 mi in
|
~13m
|
via I 580
Alameda
8 mi in
|
~13m
|
via I 580
San Jose
8 mi in
|
~13m
|
via I 580
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Eastshore Freeway | 4.7 mi | 5m |
| San Pablo Avenue | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Moeser Lane | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Arlington Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Martin Luther King Junior Way | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 14th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Eastshore Freeway
— 4.7 mi, about 5m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kensington, CA and Oakland, CA.
1
Start on Arlington Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Arlington Avenue
2
Continue on Arlington Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Arlington Boulevard
3
Turn left onto Moeser Lane
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Moeser Lane
4
At end of road, turn left onto CA 123
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
San Pablo Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto Central Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Toward I 80 West: Oakland
7
Merge onto I 80
4.7 mi
·
5 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn right onto Watts Street
216 ft
·
11 sec
·
Watts Street
13
Turn right onto Peralta Street
182 ft
·
11 sec
·
Peralta Street
14
Turn left onto 35th Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
35th Street
15
Turn right onto San Pablo Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Pablo Avenue
16
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Junior Way
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Way
17
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
18
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.55 one way
$5.10 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $2.63 | $5.26 |
| premium | $6.18 | $2.70 | $5.40 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.45 | $4.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.3 | 0 | $1.17 | $0.53 |
| Efficient EV | 2.8 | 0 | $0.97 | $0.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.4 | 0 | $1.55 | $0.71 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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
Oakland, CA
Evening in Oakland on Friday
Local time
7:35 PM
PDT
Current temp
67°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
20 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
20m 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 Kensington, CA to Oakland, CA covers 11.1 miles and takes about 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Eastshore Freeway, San Pablo Avenue, Moeser Lane. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 5.6 miles from Kensington, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.55 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 short but busy drive. With 14 decision points packed into just 11.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 20m.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.1 miles (CA 123 / San Pablo Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.3 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Kensington, CA and Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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