Origin
Pasadena, CA
Afternoon in Pasadena on Sunday
Local time
1:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
77°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Pasadena, CA to San Francisco, CA
Drive Time
7h 6m
Distance
382.9 mi
616 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$89
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
6h 55m
★
6 AM
7h 6m
8 AM
7h 28m
10 AM
7h 14m
12 PM
7h 12m
3 PM
7h 15m
5 PM
7h 27m
8 PM
7h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Pasadena, CA
Stephen Leonardi
San Francisco, CA
Abhishek Navlakha
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Pasadena to San Francisco, expect a direct journey covering 382.9 miles. Clocking in at approximately 7 hours and 6 minutes of drive time, this trip is manageable as a single-day push for most drivers. You will primarily utilize the Golden State Freeway and the Westside Freeway to navigate the Pacific Coast region. With a fuel budget of about $89, it is a relatively straightforward transit rather than a scenic tour. While you could technically split this into two days, the route is designed for efficiency, making it a practical choice if your goal is simply to reach the Bay Area from Southern California.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
191.4 miles from Pasadena, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 32m into the drive .
Drive Character
This is a highway-focused drive, with 97 percent of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You should be prepared for a consistent interstate experience, as the route relies heavily on the Golden State Freeway and I-5 Truck corridors. The most significant portion of your journey involves a 225.6-mile stretch along the Westside Freeway, which defines the character of this trip. Expect a steady, high-speed pace that stays consistent from start to finish. Because the road is built for long-distance transit, you will find the driving experience to be functional and direct rather than technical or winding.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 35 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 8.3 miles in.
Route Complexity
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 31 significant decision points across 382.9 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 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 31 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 5 North, CA 134 West: Golden State Freeway, Sacramento, Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.
Toward I 5 North, CA 134 West: Golden State Fre...
8
8.4 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Golden State Freeway, Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the none lane.
Toward I 5 North: Golden State Freeway, Sacrame...
9
25.5 mi into trip
|
~30m 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
357.6 mi into trip
|
~6h 33m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
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: Oakland, San Francisco
8
381.5 mi into trip
|
~7h 3m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Westside Freeway | 225.6 mi | 4h 1m |
| Golden State Freeway | 38.9 mi | 44m |
| I 5 Truck | 37.7 mi | 43m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 29.6 mi | 34m |
| William Elton Brown Freeway | 17 mi | 18m |
| MacArthur Freeway | 15.5 mi | 17m |
| Ventura Freeway | 6.6 mi | 7m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 6 mi | 9m |
Longest stretch:
Westside Freeway
— 225.6 mi, about 4h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pasadena, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on East Holly Street
73 ft
·
5 sec
·
East Holly Street
2
Turn right onto North Garfield Avenue
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
North Garfield Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto US 66 Hist
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
East Colorado Boulevard
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward CA 134 West: Ventura
5
Merge onto CA 134
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the none lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 134
0.5 mi
·
36 sec
·
Ventura Freeway
Use the none lane.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 5: Golden State Freeway, Los Angeles, Sacramento
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
323 ft
·
4 sec
Toward I 5 North, CA 134 West: Golden State Freeway, Sacramento, Ventura Freeway, Ventura, Zoo Drive
Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
33 sec
Toward I 5 North: Golden State Freeway, Sacramento
Use the none lane.
11
Merge onto I 5
14 mi
·
16 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
2.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
13
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.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5 Truck
36 mi
·
41 min
·
I 5 Truck
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto I 5
22 mi
·
25 min
·
Golden State Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
16
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.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
16 mi
·
17 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
Toward I 580 West: Tracy, San Francisco
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 Bypass
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
19
Merge onto I 580
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the none lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Toward I 580: Oakland, San Francisco
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
7.2 mi
·
8 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19A
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
24
Merge onto I 80
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Toward I 80 West: San Francisco
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
25
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
26
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
27
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
28
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
Exit 2A
Use the straight / slight left / none lanes.
29
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
Exit 1A
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 1B
Toward US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
32
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the none / straight / slight right lanes.
33
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
34
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
35
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Trip Plan
To keep your 7-hour transit comfortable, plan for at least two designated stops to break up the monotony of the long interstate stretches. Aim to depart early in the morning to avoid peak traffic congestion when leaving the Pasadena area and arriving in San Francisco. Since the majority of your fuel budget will be spent on the long, uninterrupted 225.6-mile segment of the Westside Freeway, make sure your tank is topped off before hitting this primary corridor. Flexibility is your biggest advantage here, so monitor your energy levels closely during the drive. Given the highway-heavy nature of the route, stay alert for heavy transport vehicles that frequently share these major transit arteries.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 191.4 miles from Pasadena, CA, or about 3h 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 225.6 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 84 miles or 1h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 191.4 miles or 3h 32m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Francisco, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Pasadena, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Pasadena, CA
This is one driving day of about 382.9 miles and 7h 6m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 84 miles from Pasadena, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
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 191.4 mi from Pasadena, CA · 3h 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
191 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 84 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 191.4 miles from Pasadena, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Westside Freeway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 225.6 miles.
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
The final approach into San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA.
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
$88.67 one way
$177.34 round trip
$5.88/gal
25.4 MPG avg
134 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.07 | $91.44 | $182.89 |
| premium | $6.24 | $94.11 | $188.22 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $85.07 | $170.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$89
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$114–$139
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 134 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $40 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 114.9 | 1 | $40.20 | $18.38 |
| Efficient EV | 95.7 | 1 | $33.50 | $15.32 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 153.2 | 1 | $53.61 | $24.51 |
Gas CO2
134 kg
EV CO2
45 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.
Destination
San Francisco, CA
Afternoon in San Francisco on Sunday
Local time
1:37 PM
PDT
Current temp
70°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
7 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
7h 6m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Pasadena, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 382.9 miles and takes about 7h 6m 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.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 191.4 miles from Pasadena, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $88.67 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 31 significant decision points across 382.9 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 8.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 8.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.5 miles (I 5 Truck): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Pasadena, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From San Francisco, CA
More trips to San Francisco, CA
Explore more options from Pasadena, CA or browse trips ending in San Francisco, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.
Explore maps for Pasadena, CA or San Francisco, CA on MapSof.net.