Origin
South San Francisco, CA
Afternoon in South San Francisco on Saturday
Local time
1:57 PM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South San Francisco, CA to Oakland, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
29m
Distance
19.2 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 27m
★
6 AM
0h 29m
8 AM
0h 34m
10 AM
0h 31m
12 PM
0h 30m
3 PM
0h 31m
5 PM
0h 34m
8 PM
0h 28m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South San Francisco, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Oakland, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from South San Francisco, CA to Oakland, CA covers 19.2 miles and takes about 29m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 80, James Lick Freeway, Bayshore Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 7.5 miles on I 80. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.41 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 80 | 7.5 mi | 11m |
| James Lick Freeway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Bayshore Freeway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| San Pablo Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Martin Luther King Junior Way | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 14th Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| 35th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| MacArthur Freeway | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 7.5 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South San Francisco, CA and Oakland, CA.
1
Start on Airport Boulevard
142 ft
·
4 sec
·
Airport Boulevard
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward US 101 North: San Francisco
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Merge onto US 101
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Continue on US 101
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
James Lick Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit onto I 80
7.5 mi
·
11 min
·
I 80
Exit 433B
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 8B
Toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 580
515 ft
·
6 sec
·
MacArthur Freeway
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto Watts Street
216 ft
·
11 sec
·
Watts Street
11
Turn right onto Peralta Street
182 ft
·
11 sec
·
Peralta Street
12
Turn left onto 35th Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
35th Street
13
Turn right onto San Pablo Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
San Pablo Avenue
14
Turn slight right onto Martin Luther King Junior Way
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Martin Luther King Junior Way
15
Turn left onto 14th Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
14th Street
16
Arrive at destination
14th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 17.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 North: San Francisco
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 101 North: San Francisco
8
8.3 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
I 80
Take the exit onto I 80 toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
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 433B
Toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
8
15.8 mi into trip
|
~22m 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...
9
16.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 19A
Toward MacArthur Boulevard, San Pablo Avenue, E...
9
17.1 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward San Pablo Avenue, Emery Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.41 one way
$8.83 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $4.55 | $9.10 |
| premium | $6.18 | $4.67 | $9.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.24 | $8.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
| Efficient EV | 4.8 | 0 | $1.68 | $0.77 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.7 | 0 | $2.69 | $1.23 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Afternoon in Oakland on Saturday
Local time
1:57 PM
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
1 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
29m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
19.2 mi in 29m, mostly highway — 7.5 mi of that is on I 80.
81% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.5 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and James Lick Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 19.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 29m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (I 80): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 South San Francisco, CA to Oakland, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Hayward-Stockton along the way.
Hayward-Stockton
15.8 mi in
|
~22m
About the Cities
Arriving in Oakland, CA
Full guide →Oakland is a port city in the Bay Area of California in the United States. Once an industrial area overshadowed by San Francisco, its larger neighbor to the west, this city of 440,000 people (2020) has begun to step out from under San Francisco's shadow with its notable natural and architectural features and its rise as the multicultural "hipster" city of the Bay Area.
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 29m. Total distance: 19.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (81%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.5 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Oakland, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.3 miles (I 80): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 15.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (5 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Oakland, CA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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