Origin
San Rafael, CA
Morning in San Rafael on Saturday
Local time
7:01 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 1m
Distance
48.6 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
0h 57m
★
6 AM
1h 2m
8 AM
1h 12m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 6m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 59m
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
San Rafael to Fremont is 48.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 1 minute via Nimitz Freeway, with a fuel budget near $11 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route connects two points within California's Pacific Coast region, offering a straightforward drive. It's a practical option for those needing to travel between these specific East Bay locations. With a short duration and minimal stops, this trip is easily manageable within a single day. Consider this an efficient way to get from point A to point B, focusing on direct travel.
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 1m. Total distance: 48.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (94%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is predominantly a highway-focused experience, with 94% of the journey taking place on major freeways like the Nimitz Freeway and I-880. You'll encounter a longest stretch of 14.3 miles on the Nimitz Freeway, indicating a consistent, high-speed environment for a significant portion of the trip. Expect a profile that emphasizes efficient travel rather than scenic detours. The character of the road is largely defined by its freeway nature, offering a predictable and direct path between San Rafael and Fremont.
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 14.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Nimitz Freeway and John T. Knox Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 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 48.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.6 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / left lanes.
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
9
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 451B
Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
8
18.6 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 580 / Interstate Highway 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580 / Interstate Highway 80 toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, 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 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oaklan...
8
18.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway toward I 880: West Grand Avenue, Alameda, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 880: West Grand Avenue, Alameda, San J...
8
46.7 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
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 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Rafael, CA and Fremont, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
Hayward
18.6 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 580
Stockton
18.6 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 580
Alameda
18.6 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 580
San Jose
18.6 mi in
|
~24m
|
via I 580
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Nimitz Freeway | 14.3 mi | 18m |
| John T. Knox Freeway | 13.6 mi | 17m |
| I 880 | 13.6 mi | 14m |
| Eastshore Freeway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Mowry Avenue | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| Fourth Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Redwood Highway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Interstate Highway 80 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Nimitz Freeway
— 14.3 mi, about 18m
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
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Turn right onto Hetherton Street
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Hetherton Street
Use the right lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Merge onto US 101
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Redwood Highway
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 580
14 mi
·
17 min
·
John T. Knox Freeway
Exit 451B
Toward I 580: Richmond Bridge, Oakland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 80; I 580
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Eastshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto I 580
0.3 mi
·
21 sec
·
Interstate Highway 80
Toward I 580 East, I 880 South: Downtown Oakland, Hayward, Stockton, Alameda, San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880
14 mi
·
18 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Toward I 880: West Grand Avenue, Alameda, San Jose
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
2.4 mi
·
2 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 880
Use the slight left lane.
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 17
Toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left
116 ft
·
3 sec
Use the left lane.
14
Turn straight onto Mowry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
Mowry Avenue
15
Continue on Mowry Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mowry Avenue
16
Arrive at destination
Mowry Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 24.3 mi from San Rafael, CA · 31m 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 24.3 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
$11.17 one way
$22.34 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.51 | $23.02 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.82 | $23.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.73 | $21.46 |
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 | $5.10 | $2.33 |
| Efficient EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.25 | $1.94 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.4 | 0 | $6.80 | $3.11 |
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
Morning in Fremont on Saturday
Local time
7:01 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 1m 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 48.6 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Nimitz Freeway, John T. Knox Freeway, I 880. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 24.3 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 $11.17 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 48.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.2 miles (I 580 / John T. Knox Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.6 miles (I 580 / Interstate Highway 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between San Rafael, CA and Fremont, CA, road signs point toward Hayward, Stockton, Alameda and San Jose.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. There are 6 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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