How far is Chowchilla, CA from San Francisco, CA?

The driving distance from Chowchilla, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 147.2 miles (236.9 km), with a travel time of about 02h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 126.7 miles (203.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 05h 16m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
147.21 mi
02h 38m
Flight
126.71 mi
203.92 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Chowchilla.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
126.71 mi
Kilometers
203.92 km
Flight Time
00h 15m

Driving Distance

Road route
147.21 mi
Kilometers
236.91 km
Drive Time
02h 38m

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 02h 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Francisco
Wed, Apr 22, 8:25 PM PDT
Return by in Chowchilla
Wed, Apr 22, 11:03 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Chowchilla
2026-04-22T17:47
Arrive San Francisco
Wed, Apr 22, 8:25 PM PDT
Route Timing
02h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
10:38 AM to 12:38 PM PDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
1:14 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Chowchilla
9:30 PM PDT
Morning start is best

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
Manteca
CA

A city in San Joaquin County, California.

From Chowchilla
74.6 mi
01h 19m
To San Francisco
72.6 mi
01h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
68°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph NNW
Destination
65°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Chowchilla and San Francisco.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chowchilla and San Francisco.

  1. 1

    Start on North 2nd Street

    19 m · 8 sec · North 2nd Street

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Robertson Boulevard

    2673 ft · 45 sec · Robertson Boulevard

  3. 3

    Continue on Avenue 26

    978 ft · 19 sec · Avenue 26

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right

    1234 ft · 30 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left

    70.7 mi · 1 hr 23 min

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 120 West: Manteca, San Francisco

    1.5 km · 2 min

  7. 7

    Merge slight right

    6.8 mi · 8 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Westside Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway

    13.9 mi · 16 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway

  10. 10

    Continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

  11. 11

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

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

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco

    1.5 km · 1 min

  15. 15

    Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  16. 16

    Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  18. 18

    Continue on Route 80

    1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80

  19. 19

    Continue on Route 80

    1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80

  20. 20

    Continue on Route 80

    1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge

    1919 ft · 39 sec

  22. 22

    Merge slight right onto Central Freeway

    1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway

  23. 23

    Continue on Octavia Boulevard

    2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard

  24. 24

    Turn right onto Market Street

    629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on Market Street

    961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Chowchilla and San Francisco.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Interchange-aware route

The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.

Directions
26 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
5 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
17.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Avenue 26
71.1 mi · 48%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.7 mi · 20%
MacArthur Freeway
15.5 mi · 11%
Robert T. Monagan Freeway
13.9 mi · 9%
CA 120 West
7.68 mi · 5%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
6.04 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Avenue 26

Merge slight left

70.7 mi · 01h 23m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
02h 38m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
05h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+20.5 mi
126.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Manteca
01h 19m from Chowchilla
Leave By
1:14 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Chowchilla and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Chowchilla to San Francisco?

The road trip is about 147.2 miles (236.9 km) and usually takes 02h 38m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Manteca is a useful midpoint, sitting about 74.6 miles from Chowchilla and 72.6 miles from San Francisco.

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

The direct path is about 126.7 miles (203.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 20.5 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 1:14 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $29.94 one way or $59.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 46.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms around Chowchilla and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.

Stop Ideas Near Manteca

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Manteca, 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 Manteca.

RAIL

Manteca, CA

4 mi away
17800 Shideler Parkway
RAIL

Stockton – San Joaquin Street

18 mi away
735 S. San Joaquin St
RAIL

Robert J. Cabral Station

19 mi away
949 East Channel St.
BUS

Tracy, California

20 mi away
725 West Clover Road

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Chowchilla and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 126.71 mi (203.92 km).

Chowchilla

#1 Chowchilla

City in Madera County, California, United States

Population18,153
Coordinates37.1230000, -120.2601800
Altitude73
CountryUnited States
San Francisco

#2 San Francisco

The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Population866,606
Coordinates37.7749300, -122.4194200
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Start: North 2nd Street (-120.260202, 37.122983)
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 237 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)04h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)03h 40m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 56m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 50m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.19 gal
19.66 L · about $29.94
Round trip
$59.88
10.38 gal · 39.32 L
Estimated CO2
46.1 kg one way
Round trip: 92.2 kg / 203 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $29.94 $59.88
Mid-grade $6.07 $31.48 $62.97
Premium $6.24 $32.40 $64.80
Diesel $7.57 $39.27 $78.55

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 · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Chowchilla and San Francisco. The current time is 17:47:53.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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