How far is Chinatown, CA from San Diego, CA?
The driving distance from Chinatown, CA to San Diego, CA is about 507.3 miles (816.4 km), with a travel time of about 08h 31m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 458.9 miles (738.6 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 03m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
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.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 08h 31m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
Place in Kern County California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Chinatown and San Diego.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Chinatown and San Diego.
-
1
Start on Pacific Avenue
24 m · 6 sec · Pacific Avenue
-
2
Turn right onto Cordelia Street
103 m · 17 sec · Cordelia Street
-
3
Turn right onto Broadway
675 ft · 35 sec · Broadway
-
4
Turn right onto Columbus Avenue
1303 ft · 1 min · Columbus Avenue
-
5
Continue on Montgomery Street
1680 ft · 49 sec · Montgomery Street
-
6
Turn left onto Bush Street
989 ft · 35 sec · Bush Street
-
7
Continue on 1st Street
2146 ft · 53 sec · 1st Street
-
8
Continue on 1st Street
34 m · 5 sec · 1st Street
-
9
Keep slight left to continue on 1st Street
90 m · 15 sec · 1st Street
-
10
Take the ramp straight toward I 80 East: Bay Bridge, Oakland
550 ft · 9 sec
-
11
Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.8 mi · 9 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
-
12
Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton
1.6 km · 1 min
-
13
Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway
-
14
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
15
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
16
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
17
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
-
18
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
-
19
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
-
20
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
-
21
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
-
22
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
-
23
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
-
24
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
25
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
26
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
-
27
Keep slight left
788 ft · 10 sec
-
28
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
981 ft · 13 sec
-
29
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
30
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
31
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
32
Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue
1.2 km · 1 min
-
33
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue
-
34
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue
-
35
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road
-
36
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South
1479 ft · 21 sec
-
37
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
38
Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
-
39
Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway
76.5 mi · 1 hr 29 min · San Diego Freeway
-
40
Take the exit slight right toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue
1164 ft · 28 sec
-
41
Keep slight right to continue on Front Street, Civic Center
592 ft · 15 sec
-
42
Continue on Front Street
2662 ft · 2 min · Front Street
-
43
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Front Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Chinatown and San Diego.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224 mi · 04h 00m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Sunny leaving Chinatown and Sunny near San Diego.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Chinatown to San Diego?
The road trip is about 507.3 miles (816.4 km) and usually takes 08h 31m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Buttonwillow is a useful midpoint, sitting about 250.5 miles from Chinatown and 256.8 miles from San Diego.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 458.9 miles (738.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 48.4 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 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $112.07 one way or $224.14 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 159.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around Chinatown and Sunny near San Diego.
Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Buttonwillow.
Wasco station
Bakersfield
Corcoran station
Kettleman City, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Chinatown and San Diego. Straight-line distance: 458.92 mi (738.56 km).
#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.
| Population | 0 |
| Coordinates | 37.7966000, -122.4085800 |
| Altitude | 29 |
| Country | United States |
#2 San Diego
The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.
| Population | 1,422,420 |
| Coordinates | 32.7157100, -117.1647200 |
| Altitude | 20 |
| Country | United States |
End: Front Street (-117.164717, 32.71571)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 816 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 16h 54m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 12h 40m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 10h 08m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 27m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 07h 14m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 19m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $6.26 | $112.07 | $224.14 |
| Mid-grade | $6.50 | $116.33 | $232.66 |
| Premium | $6.69 | $119.73 | $239.47 |
| Diesel | $8.41 | $150.59 | $301.19 |
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