How far is Chinatown, CA from Bakersfield, CA?

The driving distance from Chinatown, CA to Bakersfield, CA is about 282.5 miles (454.6 km), with a travel time of about 04h 42m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 251.8 miles (405.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 24m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
282.45 mi
04h 42m
Flight
251.77 mi
405.18 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chinatown.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
251.77 mi
Kilometers
405.18 km
Flight Time
00h 30m

Driving Distance

Road route
282.45 mi
Kilometers
454.56 km
Drive Time
04h 42m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 04h 42m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Bakersfield
Thu, Oct 15, 5:00 PM PDT
Return by in Chinatown
Thu, Oct 15, 9:42 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chinatown
2026-10-15T12:18
Arrive Bakersfield
Thu, Oct 15, 5:00 PM PDT
Route Timing
04h 42m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:42 AM to 12:42 PM PDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
7:36 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Chinatown
9:00 PM PDT
Early departure recommended

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Firebaugh
CA

City in Fresno County, California, United States of America

From Chinatown
141 mi
02h 21m
To Bakersfield
141.5 mi
02h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph N
Destination
86°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 11:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chinatown and Bakersfield.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chinatown and Bakersfield.

  1. 1

    Start on Pacific Avenue

    24 m · 6 sec · Pacific Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Cordelia Street

    103 m · 17 sec · Cordelia Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Broadway

    675 ft · 35 sec · Broadway

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Columbus Avenue

    1303 ft · 1 min · Columbus Avenue

  5. 5

    Continue on Montgomery Street

    1680 ft · 49 sec · Montgomery Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Bush Street

    989 ft · 35 sec · Bush Street

  7. 7

    Continue on 1st Street

    2146 ft · 53 sec · 1st Street

  8. 8

    Continue on 1st Street

    34 m · 5 sec · 1st Street

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on 1st Street

    90 m · 15 sec · 1st Street

  10. 10

    Take the ramp straight toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland

    550 ft · 9 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    5.8 mi · 9 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton

    1.6 km · 1 min

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway

    15.9 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  18. 18

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    192.5 mi · 3 hr 26 min · Westside Freeway

  19. 19

    Take the exit slight right toward Stockdale Highway

    1185 ft · 36 sec

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Stockdale Highway

    4.8 mi · 7 min · Stockdale Highway

  21. 21

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway

    39 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway

  22. 22

    Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway

    4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway

  23. 23

    Continue on Westside Parkway

    6.7 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right

    2846 ft · 1 min

  25. 25

    Turn straight onto Truxtun Avenue

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Truxtun Avenue

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Truxtun Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chinatown and Bakersfield.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
26 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
4 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
193 mi · 68%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi · 10%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 6%
MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 6%
Stockdale Highway
9.43 mi · 3%
Westside Parkway
7.28 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

193 mi · 03h 26m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
04h 42m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+30.7 mi
251.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Firebaugh
02h 21m from Chinatown
Leave By
7:36 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Chinatown and Sunny near Bakersfield.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chinatown to Bakersfield?

The road trip is about 282.5 miles (454.6 km) and usually takes 04h 42m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Firebaugh is a useful midpoint, sitting about 141 miles from Chinatown and 141.5 miles from Bakersfield.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 251.8 miles (405.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 30.7 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:36 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $62.42 one way or $124.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 88.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Chinatown and Sunny near Bakersfield.

Stop Ideas Near Firebaugh

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Firebaugh, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Firebaugh.

RAIL

Madera

41 mi away
Avenue 15 1/2 at 29th Road
RAIL

Merced station

50 mi away
324 West 24th St
RAIL

Fresno station

61 mi away
2650 Tulare St.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

73 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chinatown and Bakersfield. Straight-line distance: 251.77 mi (405.18 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Chinatown

Situated on the hilly terrain of downtown San Francisco at an average elevation of 95 feet, this densely populated neighborhood serves as a significant historical and cultural center for the Chinese diaspora in North America.

Population0
Coordinates37.7966000, -122.4085800
Altitude29
CountryUnited States
Bakersfield

#2 Bakersfield

The fifth most populous city in California and the center of the Bakersfield metropolitan area.

Population385,725
Coordinates35.3732900, -119.0187100
Altitude123
CountryUnited States
Start: Pacific Avenue (-122.408598, 37.79669)
End: Truxtun Avenue (-119.01871, 35.373244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 455 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 03m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 42m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 02m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 31m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.97 gal
37.73 L · about $62.42
Round trip
$124.84
19.94 gal · 75.46 L
Estimated CO2
88.6 kg one way
Round trip: 177.2 kg / 391 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $6.26 $62.42 $124.84
Mid-grade $6.50 $64.80 $129.59
Premium $6.69 $66.69 $133.38
Diesel $8.41 $83.88 $167.76

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Chinatown and Bakersfield. The current time is 12:18:38.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.