Origin
San Rafael, CA
Late night in San Rafael on Saturday
Local time
5:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 6m
Distance
48.7 mi
78 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 11m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Rafael, CA
David McElwee
Trip Overview
The drive from San Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA covers 48.7 miles and takes about 1h 6m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Hetherton Street, US 101 South, Redwood Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.19 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Fremont, CA
Full guide →Founded 1956
Fremont is a suburban city in the southern part of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area; it is the 4th largest city in the Bay Area by population. Fremont is in the southern part of Alameda County, California, between Union City to the north, Sunol and the hills to the east, Milpitas and Santa Clara County to the south, and the San Francisco Bay to the west. The city of Newark, near the edge of the Bay, is surrounded by the city of Fremont. Fremont industry is not particularly large relative to other parts of the Bay Area, but neither is it a bedroom community. Many people in Fremont work locally in the electronics and high-tech industry, while many others commute to Silicon Valley or San Francisco locations for work.
Top landmarks
- • Mission San José — 18th-century Spanish mission in Fremont, California
- • Ardenwood Historic Farm — human settlement in California, United States of America
- • Niles Depot Museum — railway museum in Niles, California
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 1h 6m. Total distance: 48.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 6m drive with frequent turns across 48.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Hetherton Street is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from San Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA is easy. At 1h 6m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Hetherton Street | — | — |
| US 101 South | — | — |
| Redwood Highway | — | — |
| John T | — | — |
| Eastshore Freeway | — | — |
| Highway 80 | — | — |
| Nimitz Freeway | — | — |
| Mowry Avenue | — | — |
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 Fremont, 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 right to continue on Nimitz Freeway
14 mi
·
18 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
9
Keep slight left
5.6 mi
·
6 min
10
Keep slight left
2.4 mi
·
2 min
11
Keep slight left
5.6 mi
·
6 min
12
Take the exit slight right toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
13
Turn left
118 ft
·
3 sec
14
Turn straight onto Mowry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
15
Continue on Mowry Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mowry Avenue
16
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.4 mi from San Rafael, CA · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.4 miles from San Rafael, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Fremont, CA
The final approach into Fremont, 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
$11.19 one way
$22.39 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.53 | $23.07 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.84 | $23.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.75 | $21.50 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 17 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.11 | $2.34 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.26 | $1.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.5 | 0 | $6.82 | $3.12 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Fremont, CA
Late night in Fremont on Saturday
Local time
5:37 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.
Temperature spread
8 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
1h 6m 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 Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA covers 48.7 miles and takes about 1h 6m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Hetherton Street, US 101 South, Redwood Highway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.4 miles from San Rafael, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.19 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.
The drive from San Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA is easy. At 1h 6m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from San Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from San Rafael, CA to Fremont, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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