Origin
San Mateo, CA
Morning in San Mateo on Thursday
Local time
10:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Trip from San Mateo, CA to Oakland, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
39m
Distance
30.8 mi
50 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Mateo, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning just 30.8 miles, this quick connection between San Mateo and Oakland is a straightforward journey along the Pacific Coast that easily fits into a single day. You can expect to spend about 37 minutes on the road, making it a highly efficient trip that doesn't require any overnight stays. Budgeting roughly $7 for fuel will cover the entire route, which relies heavily on local thoroughfares rather than major interstates. Because this is a short, localized drive, it serves as a perfect bridge between these two Bay Area hubs. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a day of exploring, the minimal time commitment provides plenty of flexibility for your schedule.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 30.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you alert from start to finish. You will navigate through city streets using East 3rd Avenue and South Delaware Street before transitioning onto CA 92 East. With 0% highway share, the experience is defined by urban maneuvering rather than the high-speed monotony of a freeway. There are no extended, uninterrupted stretches, meaning the road requires constant attention as you navigate through the local infrastructure. This isn't a cruise-control type of trip, but rather a practical, hands-on drive that demands you stay engaged with the flow of local traffic.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Nimitz Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 14 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Nimitz Freeway and J Arthur Younger Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.3 miles in.
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 30.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
14.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward I 880: Oakland, San Jose, Hesperian Boulevard
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 26A; 26B; 25B
Toward I 880: Oakland, San Jose, Hesperian Boul...
8
14.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 880: Oakland, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 880: Oakland, San Jose
7
15.2 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 880 North, CA 92 East: Oakland, Downtown Hayward
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 26B
Toward I 880 North, CA 92 East: Oakland, Downto...
8
15.4 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 880 North: Oakland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
8
29.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
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 41A
Toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Mateo, CA and Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Hayward and San Jose.
Hayward
1.8 mi in
|
~3m
San Jose
14.3 mi in
|
~18m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nimitz Freeway | 14 mi | 15m |
| J Arthur Younger Freeway | 12.4 mi | 14m |
| South Delaware Street | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| East 3rd Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Oak Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 12th Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 14th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harrison Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nimitz Freeway
— 14 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Mateo, CA and Oakland, CA.
1
Start on CA 82
96 ft
·
6 sec
·
South El Camino Real
2
Turn right onto East 3rd Avenue
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
East 3rd Avenue
3
Turn right onto South Delaware Street
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Delaware Street
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
Toward CA 92 East: San Mateo–Hayward Bridge, Hayward
5
Merge onto CA 92
12 mi
·
14 min
·
J Arthur Younger Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 26A; 26B; 25B
Toward I 880: Oakland, San Jose, Hesperian Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 880: Oakland, San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
Exit 26B
Toward I 880 North, CA 92 East: Oakland, Downtown Hayward
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 880
14 mi
·
15 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 41A
Toward Oak Street, Lakeside Drive
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto Oak Street
0.3 mi
·
49 sec
·
Oak Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left onto 12th Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
12th Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto Harrison Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Harrison Street
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
·
14th Street
16
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.08 one way
$14.16 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $7.29 | $14.59 |
| premium | $6.18 | $7.49 | $14.98 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.80 | $13.60 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
| Efficient EV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.70 | $1.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Oakland, CA
Morning in Oakland on Thursday
Local time
10:18 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°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.
Road read
39m 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 Mateo, CA to Oakland, CA covers 30.8 miles and takes about 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Nimitz Freeway, J Arthur Younger Freeway, South Delaware Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 15.4 miles from San Mateo, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.08 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 30.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 39m.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between San Mateo, CA and Oakland, CA, road signs point toward Hayward and San Jose.
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