Origin
San Francisco, CA
Morning in San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
8:41 AM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Francisco, CA to San Leandro, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
21.8 mi
35 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 31m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 33m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 36m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Leandro, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
San Francisco to San Leandro is 21.8 miles and takes about 31 minutes via MacArthur Freeway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short drive stays within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward connection between two Bay Area cities. Expect a mixed driving experience with a significant portion on major freeways. It's a practical trip, ideal for anyone needing to travel between these points without a lengthy commitment, allowing for easy scheduling within a single day.
About the Cities
Starting 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 31m. Total distance: 21.8 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 (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This route features a mixed driving profile, with 55% of the journey on highways. You'll encounter stretches on the MacArthur Freeway and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, offering a relatively fast-paced experience for much of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 11 miles on the MacArthur Freeway, providing a sustained period of highway driving. As you approach San Leandro, the route incorporates local roads like Estudillo Avenue, introducing a change in pace and a more urban driving feel.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
MacArthur Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 11 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
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 21.8 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 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 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 9 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...
5
9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Merge onto I 580 / MacArthur Freeway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
20 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit toward Dutton Avenue, Estudillo Avenue
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 31A
Toward Dutton Avenue, Estudillo Avenue
5
20.8 mi into trip
|
~28m in
|
Estudillo Avenue
Turn right onto Estudillo Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from San Francisco, CA to San Leandro, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Hayward-Stockton along the way.
Hayward-Stockton
8 mi in
|
~13m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| MacArthur Freeway | 11 mi | 12m |
| Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| Estudillo Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Route 80 | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| 11th Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| MacArthur Boulevard | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Bryant Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
MacArthur Freeway
— 11 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and San Leandro, 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
11 mi
·
12 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 31A
Toward Dutton Avenue, Estudillo Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Turn straight onto MacArthur Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
MacArthur Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn right onto Estudillo Avenue
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Estudillo Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
12
Arrive at destination
West Estudillo Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.01 one way
$10.02 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $5.16 | $10.33 |
| premium | $6.18 | $5.30 | $10.60 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.81 | $9.63 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 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 | 6.5 | 0 | $2.29 | $1.05 |
| Efficient EV | 5.5 | 0 | $1.91 | $0.87 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.05 | $1.40 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
San Leandro, CA
Morning in San Leandro on Saturday
Local time
8:41 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°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
5 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
31m 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 San Leandro, CA covers 21.8 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MacArthur Freeway, Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway, Estudillo Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.9 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 $5.01 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 9 decision points packed into just 21.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
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 miles (I 580 / MacArthur Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from San Francisco, CA to San Leandro, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Hayward-Stockton along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front 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.
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