Origin
Richmond, CA
Afternoon in Richmond on Friday
Local time
3:15 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.1 mi
29 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 31m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richmond, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 18.1 miles and takes about 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on 23rd Street, Barrett Avenue, I 80 West for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.16 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Richmond, CA
Full guide →Though it was a booming industrial center during World War II, the subsequent decades were not kind to Richmond, California. After the war, deindustrialization hit hard. The shipyards closed. Desperation set in. A reputation for violent crime kept visitors away. But in the 21st century crime has gone down, and a revitalization has begun. Richmond still isn't on any tourism shortlists, but its historic sites, nature, and strategic location between the East Bay and Marin County do attract some interest to this often-overlooked part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Areas of note include the charming and historic Point Richmond neighborhood on the bay in the southwest of Richmond, as well as the World War II sites at the southern edge of the city. This article also covers Richmond's near-enclave of San Pablo.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 18.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 26m drive with frequent turns across 18.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
23rd Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA is easy. At 26m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 23rd Street | — | — |
| Barrett Avenue | — | — |
| I 80 West | — | — |
| Eastshore Freeway | — | — |
| San Francisco | — | — |
| Dwight D | — | — |
| Route 80 | — | — |
| US 101 North | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
23rd Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richmond, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Macdonald Avenue
56 ft
·
9 sec
·
Macdonald Avenue
2
Turn left onto 23rd Street
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
23rd Street
3
Turn right onto Barrett Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Barrett Avenue
4
Take the ramp right toward I 80 West: Oakland
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
I 80 West: Oakland
5
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
6
Take the exit slight left toward San Francisco
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
San Francisco
7
Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
8
Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
9
Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
10
Continue on Route 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
11
Continue on Route 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
12
Continue on Route 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
13
Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge
14
Merge slight right onto Central Freeway
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
15
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
16
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
32 sec
·
Market Street
17
Keep slight right to continue on Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
18
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.16 one way
$8.32 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.29 | $8.57 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.40 | $8.80 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.00 | $7.99 |
Estimated Tolls: $9.00
Golden Gate Bridge
$9.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$9
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.90 | $0.87 |
| Efficient EV | 4.5 | 0 | $1.58 | $0.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (67% 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
San Francisco, CA
Afternoon in San Francisco on Friday
Local time
3:15 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°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
3 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
26m 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 Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA covers 18.1 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are 23rd Street, Barrett Avenue, I 80 West. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9 miles from Richmond, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.16 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.
The drive from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA is easy. At 26m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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.
Was this 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 Richmond, CA or browse trips ending in San Francisco, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.