Origin
Richmond, CA
Evening in Richmond on Friday
Local time
7:20 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 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
18.3 mi
29 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 25m
★
6 AM
0h 27m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 28m
3 PM
0h 29m
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
Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA is 18.3 miles and takes about 26m via Eastshore Freeway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short hop across the bay connects the Pacific Coast region from one side to the other. Expect a largely urban drive with a significant portion on major freeways. Given the minimal distance and duration, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion, offering flexibility for departure times and minimal need for extensive planning.
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.
Arriving in San Francisco, CA
Full guide →The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world. Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
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: 18.3 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 (51%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route is a mixed drive, with 51% of the journey on highways. You'll spend a good portion of your time on the Eastshore Freeway and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.7 miles on the Eastshore Freeway, allowing for a steady pace. The character of the drive is primarily that of a busy commuter corridor, transitioning from the East Bay into the dense urban landscape of San Francisco.
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 7.7 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 early in the drive near 23rd Street.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 18.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (23rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
23rd Street
Turn left onto 23rd Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 West: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 80 West: Oakland
6
8.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
Eastshore Freeway
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway toward San Francisco
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward San Francisco
6
10 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80 / Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
16.9 mi into trip
|
~23m 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Eastshore Freeway | 7.7 mi | 9m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 6.2 mi | 9m |
| Route 80 | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Barrett Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Octavia Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Central Freeway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 23rd Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Eastshore Freeway
— 7.7 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richmond, CA and San Francisco, CA.
1
Start on Macdonald Avenue
56 ft
·
8 sec
·
Macdonald Avenue
2
Turn left onto 23rd Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
23rd Street
3
Turn right onto Barrett Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Barrett Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Toward I 80 West: Oakland
Use the straight lane.
5
Merge onto I 80
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto Eastshore Freeway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Toward San Francisco
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto I 80
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn slight left onto I 80
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the slight left lane.
10
Continue on I 80
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
Route 80
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
11
Continue on I 80
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
Exit 2A
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Continue on I 80
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
Route 80
Exit 1A
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
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.
14
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Central Freeway
15
Continue on Octavia Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
42 sec
·
Octavia Boulevard
Exit 434B
Toward Octavia Boulevard, Fell Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
Use the right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork onto Market Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Market Street
18
Arrive at destination
Market Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.21 one way
$8.41 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.33 | $8.67 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.45 | $8.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.04 | $8.08 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.4 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 | 5.5 | 0 | $1.92 | $0.88 |
| Efficient EV | 4.6 | 0 | $1.60 | $0.73 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.56 | $1.17 |
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
Evening in San Francisco on Friday
Local time
7:20 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 18.3 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Eastshore Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Route 80. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 9.1 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 $4.21 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 18.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 26m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (23rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (Eastshore Freeway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Richmond, CA to San Francisco, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. There are 5 parks within detour distance of this route.
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, 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
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.