Origin
San Francisco, CA
Evening in San Francisco on Thursday
Local time
8:07 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Francisco, CA to Byron, CA
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 16m
Distance
59.7 mi
96 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 28m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Byron, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Trip Overview
This straightforward 59.7-mile drive from San Francisco to Byron, CA, is easily managed as a day trip, taking approximately 1 hour and 16 minutes. The route primarily utilizes CA 4 and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, with a 53% highway share, making it a practical choice for a quick journey. You can expect a fuel cost of around $14 for this stretch. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so no significant regional landscape changes are expected. This route is best suited for those looking for an efficient transit between these two California points.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 16m. Total distance: 59.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 16m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive offers a mixed experience, with a significant portion, 53%, on highways. You'll navigate through the Caldecott Tunnel early on, transitioning onto stretches of CA 4 and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23 miles on CA 4, providing a good opportunity for consistent driving. This route balances faster highway segments with what is likely more local road travel closer to your destination, offering a varied driving experience without being overly demanding.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
CA 4 is the longest continuous segment at about 23 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 around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.7 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 East: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 80 East: Oakland
8
8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 8B
Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-St...
8
9.6 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward CA 24 East: Berkeley, Walnut Creek
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19B
Toward CA 24 East: Berkeley, Walnut Creek
9
27.7 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
CA 242
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242 toward CA 242 North: Concord, Pittsburg
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 50
Toward CA 242 North: Concord, Pittsburg
6
46.6 mi into trip
|
~59m in
|
CA 4
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Francisco, CA and Byron, CA, road signs point toward Hayward-Stockton, Walnut Creek and Pittsburg.
Hayward-Stockton
8 mi in
|
~13m
Walnut Creek
9.6 mi in
|
~15m
Pittsburg
27.7 mi in
|
~37m
|
via CA 242
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| CA 4 | 23 mi | 26m |
| Caldecott Tunnel | 9.8 mi | 11m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| CA 242 | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Grove Shafter Freeway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Vasco Road | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| Camino Diablo | 1.6 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
CA 4
— 23 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and Byron, CA.
1
Start on Market Street
312 ft
·
7 sec
·
Market Street
2
Turn right onto 11th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
11th Street
3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Bryant Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
Toward I 80 East: Oakland
Use the left / straight lanes.
5
Merge onto I 80
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Route 80
6
Continue on I 80
5.8 mi
·
8 min
·
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8B
Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 580
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
·
MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19B
Toward CA 24 East: Berkeley, Walnut Creek
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward CA 24 East: Walnut Creek
11
Merge onto CA 24
3.3 mi
·
3 min
·
Grove Shafter Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 24
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
Grove Shafter Freeway
13
Continue on CA 24
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Caldecott Tunnel
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 680
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
CA 242
Exit 50
Toward CA 242 North: Concord, Pittsburg
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto CA 4
15 mi
·
17 min
·
CA 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 4
8.0 mi
·
9 min
·
CA 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on Vasco Road
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Vasco Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
19
Turn left onto Camino Diablo
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Camino Diablo
20
Turn right onto J4
158 ft
·
8 sec
·
Byron Highway
21
Turn left
17 ft
·
1 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.8 mi from San Francisco, CA · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
30 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.8 miles from San Francisco, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Byron, CA
The final approach into Byron, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.72 one way
$27.44 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $14.14 | $28.28 |
| premium | $6.18 | $14.52 | $29.04 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $13.18 | $26.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.9 | 0 | $6.27 | $2.87 |
| Efficient EV | 14.9 | 0 | $5.22 | $2.39 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.9 | 0 | $8.36 | $3.82 |
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Byron, CA
Evening in Byron on Thursday
Local time
8:07 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 16m 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 San Francisco, CA to Byron, CA covers 59.7 miles and takes about 1h 16m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are CA 4, Caldecott Tunnel, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29.8 miles from San Francisco, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.72 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 59.7 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between San Francisco, CA and Byron, CA, road signs point toward Hayward-Stockton, Walnut Creek and Pittsburg.
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