This short, 22-mile drive from Oakland to Danville takes approximately 29 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. The journey primarily utilizes the Caldecott Tunnel, Donald D Doyle Highway, and Grove Shafter Freeway. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $5, this route is budget-friendly. You'll spend about 23% of your time on highways, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 8.8 miles through the Caldecott Tunnel. This drive is best suited for a single day, offering a convenient transition between the Pacific Coast regions of California.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
11 miles from Oakland, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 14m into the drive
.
Loading map...
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive, rather than a monotonous interstate experience. While 23% of the route involves highway driving, the character shifts as you navigate through local areas. The longest continuous segment is 8.8 miles, largely defined by the passage through the Caldecott Tunnel. This means you'll be engaging with the road frequently, with plenty of opportunities to adjust your speed and direction, characteristic of a more involved, local-feeling journey.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Caldecott Tunnel is the longest continuous segment at about 8.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.5 miles in.
Route Complexity10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 22 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 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles (I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
14.5 mi into trip|~18m in
Take the exit toward I 680 South: Mount Diablo Boulevard, San Jose
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 680 South: Mount Diablo Boulevard, San...
6
14.8 mi into trip|~19m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 680 South: San Jose, Dublin, South Main Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 680 South: San Jose, Dublin, South Mai...
6
17.1 mi into trip|~22m in|I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
21 mi into trip|~27m in
Take the exit toward El Cerro Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 40A
Toward El Cerro Boulevard
7
21.4 mi into trip|~27m in|La Gonda Way
Turn left onto La Gonda Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oakland, CA and Danville, CA, road signs point toward Walnut Creek, San Jose and Dublin.
Walnut Creek
1.2 mi in|~2m|via I 980
San Jose
14.5 mi in|~18m
Dublin
14.8 mi in|~19m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Caldecott Tunnel
8.8 mi
10m
Donald D Doyle Highway
5.3 mi
6m
Grove Shafter Freeway
4.6 mi
5m
14th Street
0.4 mi
1m
John B. Williams Freeway
0.4 mi
<1m
Railroad Avenue
0.3 mi
<1m
La Gonda Way
0.2 mi
<1m
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Caldecott Tunnel
— 8.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and Danville, CA.
1
Start on 14th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·14th Street
2
Turn right onto Castro Street
0.2 mi·34 sec·Castro Street
3
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward I 980 East, CA 24: Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Hayward
4
Merge onto I 980
0.4 mi·25 sec·John B. Williams Freeway
5
Continue on I 980
4.5 mi·5 min·Grove Shafter Freeway
Toward CA 24: Berkeley, Walnut CreekUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 24
0.2 mi·13 sec·Grove Shafter Freeway
7
Continue on CA 24
8.8 mi·10 min·Caldecott Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 680 South: Mount Diablo Boulevard, San JoseUse the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 680 South: San Jose, Dublin, South Main Street
10
Merge onto I 680
0.2 mi·16 sec·Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
11
Continue on I 680
1.4 mi·1 min·Donald D Doyle Highway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680
3.9 mi·4 min·Donald D Doyle Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·32 sec
Exit 40AToward El Cerro BoulevardUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Turn right onto El Cerro Boulevard
0.1 mi·25 sec·El Cerro Boulevard
15
Turn left onto La Gonda Way
0.2 mi·42 sec·La Gonda Way
Use the left lane.
16
At end of road, turn left onto Danville Boulevard
94 ft·3 sec·Danville Boulevard
17
Turn slight right
235 ft·10 sec
Toward Railroad Avenue
18
Turn straight onto Railroad Avenue
0.3 mi·40 sec·Railroad Avenue
19
Turn left onto West Prospect Avenue
250 ft·13 sec·West Prospect Avenue
20
Arrive at destination
West Prospect Avenue
Trip Plan
Given the short 29-minute duration and 22-mile distance, this trip is incredibly flexible. You can easily tackle it in a single day with no need for overnight stays. Consider departing outside of peak commute hours to minimize potential delays, especially around the Caldecott Tunnel. With a low fuel cost of around $5, you won't need to worry excessively about refueling stops. The longest stretch is 8.8 miles, so keep an eye on your fuel gauge, though it's unlikely to be an issue on this brief excursion.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 11 miles from Oakland, CA, or about 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 8.8 miles.
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 22 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 11 miles or 14m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Danville, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oakland, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Oakland, CA
This is one driving day of about 22 miles and 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Oakland, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Caldecott Tunnel for about 8.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 11 miles from Oakland, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Danville, CA
The final approach into Danville, 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 Danville, CA.
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.
Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Celebrate and honor the contributions and sacrifices of American civilians on the WWII home front. Discover how diverse communities lived, worked, and interacted. Many faces, many stories, many truths...
Established in 1988, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park celebrates America’s maritime heritage on the Pacific Coast. Our 50-acre park has grown around Aquatic Park Cove, a protected area...
On July 17, 1944, a massive explosion jolted the San Francisco East Bay area, shattering windows and lighting up the night sky. At Port Chicago Naval Magazine, 320 men were killed instantly when two s...
11 mi from route
~28 min detour
Free
near mile 14.4
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species. Go for a hike, enjoy a vista, have a picnic or learn about the centuries of overlapping history f...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 0.8
Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908,...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.06 one way
$10.11 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg8 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$5.21
$10.42
premium
$6.18
$5.35
$10.70
diesel
$5.61
$4.86
$9.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging
· 0 stops
· 63% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
6.6
0
$2.31
$1.06
Efficient EV
5.5
0
$1.92
$0.88
EV Truck/SUV
8.8
0
$3.08
$1.41
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Forecast data refreshed 5 days ago
Origin
Oakland, CA
Evening
in Oakland on Tuesday
Local time
6:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Danville, CA
Evening
in Danville on Tuesday
Local time
6:51 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°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
2 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
29m 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 Oakland, CA to Danville, CA covers 22 miles and takes about 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Caldecott Tunnel, Donald D Doyle Highway, Grove Shafter Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 11 miles from Oakland, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.06 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 demanding drive. With 15 significant decision points across 22 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 14.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.1 miles (I 680 / Donald D Doyle Highway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Oakland, CA and Danville, CA, road signs point toward Walnut Creek, San Jose and Dublin.
