Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
22.1 mi
36 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Rafael, CA
David McElwee
The drive from Oakland, CA to San Rafael, CA covers 22.1 miles and takes about 31m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on John T. Knox Freeway, Eastshore Freeway, MacArthur Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 12.9 miles on John T. Knox Freeway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.08 one way before food or hotel costs.
Oakland is a port city in the Bay Area of California in the United States. Once an industrial area overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger neighbor to the west, this city of 440,000 people (2020) has begun to step out from under San Francisco's shadow with its notable natural and architectural features and its rise as the multicultural "hipster" city of the Bay Area.
Historically home to one of California's original Spanish missions, San Rafael is now a mid-sized Bay Area commuter town with beautiful hills, peaceful nature, interesting architecture, and a bustling downtown area centered around 4th Street. San Rafael is the cultural and political center of Marin County, and offers its own set of attractions as well as easy access to other parts of the county.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 31m. Total distance: 22.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 31m highway drive covering 22.1 miles, with most of the trip on John T. Knox Freeway and Eastshore Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 12.9 miles on John T. Knox Freeway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on John T. Knox Freeway and Eastshore Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in.
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 12 decision points packed into just 22.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Take the exit toward I 580: San Francisco, Hayward
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 580 West: San Francisco, MacArthur Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580 West: Point Richmond, San Rafael
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward US 101 North: San Rafeal
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward Central San Rafael
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Oakland, CA to San Rafael, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Hayward along the way.
Hayward
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| John T. Knox Freeway | 12.9 mi | 17m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 3.3 mi | 4m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Fourth Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Redwood Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| 14th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| John B. Williams Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Castro Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, CA and San Rafael, CA.
Start on 14th Street
Turn right onto Castro Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 980
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 580
Continue on I 80; I 580
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto US 101
Take the exit
Continue on Irwin Street
Turn left onto Fourth Street
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$5.08 one way
$10.16 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.23 | $10.47 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.37 | $10.75 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.88 | $9.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
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 | $2.32 | $1.06 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.93 | $0.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.8 | 0 | $3.09 | $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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Oakland on Saturday
Local time
9:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
75°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in San Rafael on Saturday
Local time
9:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Oakland, CA or browse trips ending in San Rafael, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.
