Origin
San Rafael, CA
Afternoon in San Rafael on Saturday
Local time
12:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Rafael, CA to Fontana, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 8m
Distance
436.9 mi
703 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$100
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 1m
★
6 AM
8h 9m
8 AM
8h 25m
10 AM
8h 15m
12 PM
8h 13m
3 PM
8h 15m
5 PM
8h 24m
8 PM
8h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Rafael, CA
David McElwee
Fontana, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from San Rafael, CA to Fontana, CA covers 436.9 miles and takes about 8h 8m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Hetherton Street, US 101 South, Redwood Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $100.42 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
218.4 miles from San Rafael, CA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 4m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hetherton Street | — | — |
| US 101 South | — | — |
| Redwood Highway | — | — |
| John T | — | — |
| Eastshore Freeway | — | — |
| Highway 80 | — | — |
| MacArthur Freeway | — | — |
| Arthur H | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Hetherton Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Rafael, CA and Fontana, CA.
1
Start on Fourth Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Fourth Street
2
Turn right onto Hetherton Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Hetherton Street
3
Take the ramp straight toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
4
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Redwood Highway
5
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
14 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
6
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
7
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
8
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
MacArthur Freeway
9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12 mi
·
13 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
18 mi
·
20 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi
·
6 min
·
William Elton Brown Freeway
13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi
·
4 hr
·
Westside Freeway
14
Keep slight right
58 mi
·
1 hr 6 min
15
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Golden State Freeway
16
Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena
0.3 mi
·
18 sec
·
I 210 East: Pasadena
17
Continue on Foothill Freeway
24 mi
·
28 min
·
Foothill Freeway
18
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
19 mi
·
22 min
·
Foothill Freeway
19
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Foothill Freeway
20
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
21
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Foothill Freeway
22
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Foothill Freeway
23
Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway
16 mi
·
18 min
·
Foothill Freeway
24
Take the exit slight right toward Sierra Avenue
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
·
Sierra Avenue
25
Turn right onto Sierra Avenue
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Sierra Avenue
26
Turn left onto Merrill Avenue
207 ft
·
4 sec
·
Merrill Avenue
27
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 218.4 miles from San Rafael, CA, or about 4h 4m into the drive.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 96 miles or 1h 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 218.4 miles or 4h 4m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 218.4 miles or 4h 4m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 1m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Fontana, CA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving San Rafael, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from San Rafael, CA
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Fontana, CA
Aim for roughly 218 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 96 miles from San Rafael, CA.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
218 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Mendota, CAOvernight Options
Night 1
218 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Mendota, CA after about 218 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 96 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 218.4 miles from San Rafael, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 218 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$100.42 one way
$200.84 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
153 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $103.48 | $206.96 |
| premium | $6.18 | $106.25 | $212.50 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $96.46 | $192.92 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$100
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$230–$340
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 152.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $46 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 131.1 | 1 | $45.87 | $20.97 |
| Efficient EV | 109.2 | 1 | $38.23 | $17.48 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 174.8 | 2 | $61.17 | $27.96 |
Gas CO2
153 kg
EV CO2
51 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Fontana, CA
Afternoon in Fontana on Saturday
Local time
12:05 PM
PDT
Current temp
76°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
17 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
8h 8m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
436.9 mi in 8h 8m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Hetherton Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 8m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Rafael, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
About the Cities
Starting in San Rafael, CA
Full guide →Historically home to one of California's original Spanish missions, San Rafael is now a mid-sized Bay Area commuter town with beautiful hills, peaceful nature, interesting architecture, and a bustling downtown area centered around 4th Street. San Rafael is the cultural and political center of Marin County, and offers its own set of attractions as well as easy access to other parts of the county.
Arriving in Fontana, CA
Full guide →Fontana is a city in San Bernardino County in Southern California.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
8h 8m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 218 miles on day one.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Fontana, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Rafael, CA to Fontana, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.1 hours each way, a round trip means 16.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Fontana, CA before the return drive.
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.
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