How far is Fremont, CA from Santa Clara, CA?

The driving distance from Fremont, CA to Santa Clara, CA is about 17.4 miles (28 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.5 miles (21.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 52m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
17.38 mi
00h 26m
Flight
13.54 mi
21.79 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Fremont.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.54 mi
Kilometers
21.79 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
17.38 mi
Kilometers
27.97 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

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 00h 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Santa Clara
Fri, May 22, 1:50 PM PDT
Return by in Fremont
Fri, May 22, 2:16 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Fremont
2026-05-22T13:24
Arrive Santa Clara
Fri, May 22, 1:50 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:26 AM to 7:26 PM PDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:38 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Fremont
10:00 PM PDT
Flexible departure

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
Milpitas
CA

A city in Santa Clara County, California.

From Fremont
8.7 mi
00h 13m
To Santa Clara
8.7 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
9 to 13 mph WSW
Destination
84°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Fremont and Santa Clara.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Fremont and Santa Clara.

  1. 1

    Start on Mowry Avenue

    33 m · 5 sec · Mowry Avenue

  2. 2

    Continue on Mowry Avenue

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Mowry Avenue

  3. 3

    Continue on Mowry Avenue

    1067 ft · 24 sec · Mowry Avenue

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 880 South: San Jose

    1568 ft · 40 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Nimitz Freeway

    10.3 mi · 12 min · Nimitz Freeway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward Montague Expressway

    760 ft · 19 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Montague Expressway West

    1370 ft · 33 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Montague Expressway

    1 km · 1 min · Montague Expressway

  9. 9

    Turn left onto East Trimble Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · East Trimble Road

  10. 10

    Continue on West Trimble Road

    1.3 km · 1 min · West Trimble Road

  11. 11

    Continue on De La Cruz Boulevard

    1.5 mi · 3 min · De La Cruz Boulevard

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on De La Cruz Boulevard

    1241 ft · 21 sec · De La Cruz Boulevard

  13. 13

    Turn slight right onto Civic Center, El Camino Real

    721 ft · 27 sec

  14. 14

    Turn left onto El Camino Real

    3163 ft · 1 min · El Camino Real

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Lincoln Street

    643 ft · 18 sec · Lincoln Street

  16. 16

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Lincoln Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Fremont and Santa Clara.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
16 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
92 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Nimitz Freeway
10.3 mi · 59%
De La Cruz Boulevard
1.76 mi · 10%
Mowry Avenue
1.59 mi · 9%
West Trimble Road
0.8 mi · 5%
Montague Expressway
0.79 mi · 5%
East Trimble Road
0.71 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Nimitz Freeway

Merge slight left onto Nimitz Freeway

10.3 mi · 00h 12m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 52m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.9 mi
13.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Milpitas
00h 13m from Fremont
Leave By
7:38 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Fremont and Sunny near Santa Clara.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Fremont to Santa Clara?

The road trip is about 17.4 miles (28 km) and usually takes 00h 26m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Milpitas is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.7 miles from Fremont and 8.7 miles from Santa Clara.

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

The direct path is about 13.5 miles (21.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.9 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:38 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.52 one way or $7.04 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Fremont and Sunny near Santa Clara.

Stop Ideas Near Milpitas

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

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

RAIL

Santa Clara – Great America station

7 mi away
5099 Stars & Stripes Dr.
BUS

Santa Clara station

9 mi away
1001 Railroad Ave.
RAIL

San Jose Diridon station

11 mi away
65 Cahill Street
BUS

Fremont (San Joaquin Buses), California

12 mi away
999 Upper Mission Blvd

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Fremont and Santa Clara. Straight-line distance: 13.54 mi (21.79 km).

Fremont

#1 Fremont

The fifth most populous city in California.

Population234,569
Coordinates37.5482700, -121.9885700
Altitude17
CountryUnited States
Santa Clara

#2 Santa Clara

The third most populous city in Santa Clara County, California.

Population131,055
Coordinates37.3541100, -121.9552400
Altitude23
CountryUnited States
Start: Fremont (-121.98857, 37.54827)
End: Santa Clara (-121.95524, 37.35411)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 28 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 26m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 20m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.61 gal
2.32 L · about $3.52
Round trip
$7.04
1.22 gal · 4.64 L
Estimated CO2
5.4 kg one way
Round trip: 10.8 kg / 24 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $3.52 $7.04
Mid-grade $6.07 $3.70 $7.40
Premium $6.24 $3.81 $7.62
Diesel $7.57 $4.62 $9.23

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 22, 2026

There is no time difference between Fremont and Santa Clara. The current time is 13:24:42.

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.