How far is East Palo Alto, CA from Chula Vista, CA?

The driving distance from East Palo Alto, CA to Chula Vista, CA is about 490.5 miles (789.4 km), with a travel time of about 08h 06m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 439.3 miles (707 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 12m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
490.51 mi
08h 06m
Flight
439.3 mi
706.98 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from East Palo Alto.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
439.3 mi
Kilometers
706.98 km
Flight Time
00h 53m

Driving Distance

Road route
490.51 mi
Kilometers
789.4 km
Drive Time
08h 06m

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 06m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chula Vista
Sat, Apr 18, 2:50 PM PDT
Return by in East Palo Alto
Sat, Apr 18, 10:56 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave East Palo Alto
2026-04-18T06:44
Arrive Chula Vista
Sat, Apr 18, 2:50 PM PDT
Route Timing
08h 06m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:06 PM to 3:36 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
7:48 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in East Palo Alto
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Buttonwillow
CA

Place in Kern County California

From East Palo Alto
242.4 mi
04h 03m
To Chula Vista
248.1 mi
04h 03m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
70°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 8 mph SSW
Destination
71°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph NW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between East Palo Alto and Chula Vista.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between East Palo Alto and Chula Vista.

  1. 1

    Start on University Avenue

    1160 ft · 48 sec · University Avenue

  2. 2

    Continue on University Avenue

    1.5 km · 3 min · University Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto US 101 South: San Jose

    1523 ft · 41 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

    4.7 mi · 5 min · Bayshore Freeway

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on Bayshore Freeway

    42.4 mi · 49 min · Bayshore Freeway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road

    1539 ft · 40 sec

  7. 7

    Turn left onto East 10th Street

    108 m · 13 sec · East 10th Street

  8. 8

    Continue on Pacheco Pass Highway

    40.6 mi · 50 min · Pacheco Pass Highway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles

    3148 ft · 1 min

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    181.1 mi · 3 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway

  11. 11

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  14. 14

    Keep slight left

    24.7 mi · 29 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana

    1.3 km · 57 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight left

    788 ft · 10 sec

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South

    981 ft · 13 sec

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  23. 23

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Newport Avenue

    1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue

  26. 26

    Turn left onto Walnut Avenue

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue

  27. 27

    Turn left onto Jamboree Road

    2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South

    1479 ft · 21 sec

  29. 29

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  30. 30

    Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  31. 31

    Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway

    62.4 mi · 1 hr 13 min · San Diego Freeway

  32. 32

    Take the exit slight left

    1.3 km · 55 sec

  33. 33

    Continue on Jacob Dekema Freeway

    18.6 mi · 21 min · Jacob Dekema Freeway

  34. 34

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 54 East, CA 54 West

    1234 ft · 30 sec

  35. 35

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 54 West

    1631 ft · 40 sec

  36. 36

    Merge slight left onto South Bay Freeway

    2230 ft · 27 sec · South Bay Freeway

  37. 37

    Take the exit slight right toward Highland Avenue, 4th Avenue

    1451 ft · 44 sec

  38. 38

    Turn left onto Highland Avenue

    1711 ft · 31 sec · Highland Avenue

  39. 39

    Continue on 4th Avenue

    1.5 km · 2 min · 4th Avenue

  40. 40

    Turn right onto F Street

    98 m · 34 sec · F Street

  41. 41

    Continue on F Street

    83 m · 5 sec · F Street

  42. 42

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · F Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between East Palo Alto and Chula Vista.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
42 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
15
7 merges, 8 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
239 mi · 49%
San Diego Freeway
63.2 mi · 13%
Bayshore Freeway
47.1 mi · 10%
Pacheco Pass Highway
40.6 mi · 8%
Santa Ana Freeway
35 mi · 7%
I 405 South
25 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

181 mi · 03h 14m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

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.

Drive Time
08h 06m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
16h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+51.2 mi
439.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buttonwillow
04h 03m from East Palo Alto
Leave By
7:48 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving East Palo Alto and Mostly Sunny near Chula Vista.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from East Palo Alto to Chula Vista?

The road trip is about 490.5 miles (789.4 km) and usually takes 08h 06m 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 242.4 miles from East Palo Alto and 248.1 miles from Chula Vista.

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

The direct path is about 439.3 miles (707 km), while the road route adds roughly 51.2 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 $99.86 one way or $199.72 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 153.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around East Palo Alto and Mostly Sunny near Chula Vista.

Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow

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

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

RAIL

Wasco station

25 mi away
700 G Street
RAIL

Bakersfield

41 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Corcoran station

78 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Kettleman City, California

79 mi away
3300 Hubert Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between East Palo Alto and Chula Vista. Straight-line distance: 439.3 mi (706.98 km).

East Palo Alto

#1 East Palo Alto

City in San Mateo County, California, United States

Population29,059
Coordinates37.4688300, -122.1410800
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Chula Vista

#2 Chula Vista

The second most populous city in San Diego County, California.

Population272,979
Coordinates32.6400500, -117.0842000
Altitude21
CountryUnited States
Start: University Avenue (-122.141179, 37.46887)
End: F Street (-117.084196, 32.640039)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 789 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 20m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 15m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 48m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 10m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 00m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 07m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.31 gal
65.52 L · about $99.86
Round trip
$199.72
34.62 gal · 131.04 L
Estimated CO2
153.8 kg one way
Round trip: 307.7 kg / 678 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $99.86 $199.72
Mid-grade $6.07 $105.00 $210.00
Premium $6.24 $108.07 $216.13
Diesel $7.57 $130.98 $261.97

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 18, 2026

There is no time difference between East Palo Alto and Chula Vista. The current time is 06:44:13.

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.