How far is Emeryville, CA from San Diego, CA?

The driving distance from Emeryville, CA to San Diego, CA is about 499 miles (803.1 km), with a travel time of about 07h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 456.3 miles (734.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 26m 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
499.04 mi
07h 43m
Flight
456.29 mi
734.33 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Emeryville.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
456.29 mi
Kilometers
734.33 km
Flight Time
00h 55m

Driving Distance

Road route
499.04 mi
Kilometers
803.13 km
Drive Time
07h 43m

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 07h 43m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Diego
Sat, Apr 18, 5:37 AM PDT
Return by in Emeryville
Sat, Apr 18, 1:20 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Emeryville
2026-04-17T21:54
Arrive San Diego
Sat, Apr 18, 5:37 AM PDT
Route Timing
07h 43m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:43 PM to 3:13 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
8:34 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Emeryville
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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
Buttonwillow
CA

Place in Kern County California

From Emeryville
246.7 mi
03h 51m
To San Diego
252.4 mi
03h 51m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
6 mph NW
Destination
74°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, Apr 17 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Emeryville and San Diego.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Emeryville and San Diego.

  1. 1

    Start on Park Avenue

    142 m · 22 sec · Park Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Harlan Street

    144 m · 23 sec · Harlan Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto 40th Street

    1027 ft · 43 sec · 40th Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto San Pablo Avenue

    848 ft · 26 sec · San Pablo Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn slight right onto Adeline Street

    733 ft · 20 sec · Adeline Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto 35th Street

    1430 ft · 32 sec · 35th Street

  7. 7

    Continue on 35th Street

    870 ft · 19 sec · 35th Street

  8. 8

    Take the ramp straight toward I 580 East: Hayward, Stockton

    1 km · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway

    14.4 mi · 17 min · MacArthur Freeway

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

  11. 11

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

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

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left

    24.7 mi · 29 min

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  20. 20

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  21. 21

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  22. 22

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

    1.3 km · 57 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight left

    788 ft · 10 sec

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South

    981 ft · 13 sec

  25. 25

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  28. 28

    Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min

  29. 29

    Turn right onto Newport Avenue

    1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue

  30. 30

    Turn left onto Walnut Avenue

    2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue

  31. 31

    Turn left onto Jamboree Road

    2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road

  32. 32

    Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South

    1479 ft · 21 sec

  33. 33

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  34. 34

    Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  35. 35

    Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway

    76.5 mi · 1 hr 29 min · San Diego Freeway

  36. 36

    Take the exit slight right toward Front Street, Civic Center, 2nd Avenue

    1164 ft · 28 sec

  37. 37

    Keep slight right to continue on Front Street, Civic Center

    592 ft · 15 sec

  38. 38

    Continue on Front Street

    2662 ft · 2 min · Front Street

  39. 39

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Front Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Emeryville and San Diego.

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
39 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
12
7 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
283 mi · 57%
San Diego Freeway
76.5 mi · 15%
Santa Ana Freeway
35 mi · 7%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi · 6%
I 405 South
25 mi · 5%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

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.

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
07h 43m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+42.7 mi
456.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buttonwillow
03h 51m from Emeryville
Leave By
8:34 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Emeryville 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 Emeryville to San Diego?

The road trip is about 499 miles (803.1 km) and usually takes 07h 43m 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 246.7 miles from Emeryville and 252.4 miles from San Diego.

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

The direct path is about 456.3 miles (734.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 42.7 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 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 $101.59 one way or $203.18 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 156.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Emeryville and Sunny near San Diego.

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 Emeryville and San Diego. Straight-line distance: 456.29 mi (734.33 km).

Emeryville

#1 Emeryville

City in the United States state of California

Population11,875
Coordinates37.8313200, -122.2852500
Altitude7
CountryUnited States
San Diego

#2 San Diego

The eighth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Diego metropolitan area.

Population1,422,420
Coordinates32.7157100, -117.1647200
Altitude20
CountryUnited States
Start: Park Avenue (-122.28525, 37.831319)
End: Front Street (-117.164717, 32.71571)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 803 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)16h 37m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 28m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)09h 58m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 19m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 07m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
17.61 gal
66.66 L · about $101.59
Round trip
$203.18
35.22 gal · 133.32 L
Estimated CO2
156.5 kg one way
Round trip: 313 kg / 690 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $101.59 $203.18
Mid-grade $6.07 $106.82 $213.64
Premium $6.24 $109.94 $219.88
Diesel $7.57 $133.25 $266.51

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 Emeryville and San Diego. The current time is 21:54:12.

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.