How far is Fairfax, CA from Santa Ana, CA?
The driving distance from Fairfax, CA to Santa Ana, CA is about 427.1 miles (687.3 km), with a travel time of about 07h 15m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 394.6 miles (635 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 31m 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 07h 15m.
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.
City in Kings County, California, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Patchy Fog then Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Fairfax and Santa Ana.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfax and Santa Ana.
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1
Start on the route
144 m · 40 sec
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2
Turn left onto Center Boulevard
1.6 mi · 5 min · Center Boulevard
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3
Continue on Red Hill Avenue
3133 ft · 57 sec · Red Hill Avenue
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4
Continue on Fourth Street
2658 ft · 49 sec · Fourth Street
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5
Keep slight left to continue on Fourth Street
1.1 mi · 2 min · Fourth Street
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6
Turn right onto Hetherton Street
652 ft · 17 sec · Hetherton Street
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7
Take the ramp straight toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
1389 ft · 36 sec
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8
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
1805 ft · 28 sec · Redwood Highway
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9
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
13.6 mi · 17 min · John T. Knox Freeway
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10
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi · 5 min · Eastshore Freeway
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11
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
1321 ft · 21 sec · Interstate Highway 80
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12
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16.4 mi · 19 min · MacArthur Freeway
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13
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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14
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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15
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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16
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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17
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
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18
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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19
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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20
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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21
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
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22
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
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23
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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24
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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25
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
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26
Keep slight right to continue on Main Street North, Broadway
1656 ft · 22 sec
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27
Turn straight onto North Broadway
1.3 mi · 3 min · North Broadway
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28
Turn left onto West 5th Street
639 ft · 17 sec · West 5th Street
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29
Turn right onto North Main Street
1209 ft · 31 sec · North Main Street
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30
Turn right onto West 1st Street
16 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street
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31
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Fairfax and Santa Ana.
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.
Patchy Fog then Sunny leaving Fairfax and Mostly Sunny near Santa Ana.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Fairfax to Santa Ana?
The road trip is about 427.1 miles (687.3 km) and usually takes 07h 15m 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?
Avenal is a useful midpoint, sitting about 213.4 miles from Fairfax and 213.7 miles from Santa Ana.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 394.6 miles (635 km), while the road route adds roughly 32.5 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 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 $86.94 one way or $173.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 133.9 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Sunny around Fairfax and Mostly Sunny near Santa Ana.
Stop Ideas Near Avenal
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 Avenal.
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Corcoran station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Fairfax and Santa Ana. Straight-line distance: 394.55 mi (634.96 km).
#1 Fairfax
Town in California, United States
| Population | 7,561 |
| Coordinates | 37.9871500, -122.5888700 |
| Altitude | 35 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Santa Ana
The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.
| Population | 331,301 |
| Coordinates | 33.7455700, -117.8678300 |
| Altitude | 35 |
| Country | United States |
End: West 1st Street (-117.86783, 33.745553)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 687 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 14h 13m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 10h 40m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 08h 32m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 07h 07m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 06h 06m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 05h 19m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $86.94 | $173.88 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $91.41 | $182.83 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $94.08 | $188.16 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $114.03 | $228.07 |
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 · May 30, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.