How far is Oakland, CA from Santa Ana, CA?

The driving distance from Oakland, CA to Santa Ana, CA is about 405 miles (651.8 km), with a travel time of about 06h 27m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 373.5 miles (601.1 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 54m 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
405.04 mi
06h 27m
Flight
373.48 mi
601.06 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Oakland.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
373.48 mi
Kilometers
601.06 km
Flight Time
00h 45m

Driving Distance

Road route
405.04 mi
Kilometers
651.85 km
Drive Time
06h 27m

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 06h 27m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Santa Ana
Tue, May 12, 9:34 PM PDT
Return by in Oakland
Wed, May 13, 4:01 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Oakland
2026-05-12T15:07
Arrive Santa Ana
Tue, May 12, 9:34 PM PDT
Route Timing
06h 27m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
12:27 PM to 1:57 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
11:06 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Oakland
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
Kettleman City
CA

Census-designated place in Kings County, California

From Oakland
201.1 mi
03h 13m
To Santa Ana
203.9 mi
03h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Tuesday

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 9 mph WSW
Destination
74°F
Tuesday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Oakland and Santa Ana.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Oakland and Santa Ana.

  1. 1

    Start on 14th Street

    1058 ft · 53 sec · 14th Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Harrison Street

    842 ft · 35 sec · Harrison Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto 11th Street

    1141 ft · 26 sec · 11th Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Madison Street

    1673 ft · 49 sec · Madison Street

  5. 5

    Turn left onto 5th Street

    116 m · 9 sec · 5th Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp straight toward I 880 South: San Jose

    1146 ft · 30 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Nimitz Freeway

    9.7 mi · 12 min · Nimitz Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 238: Castro Valley, Stockton

    980 ft · 24 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 238: Stockton Fresno

    923 ft · 22 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on Castro Valley Freeway

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Castro Valley Freeway

  11. 11

    Continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    12.3 mi · 14 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  12. 12

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

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

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight left

    24.7 mi · 29 min

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway

  23. 23

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

    1.3 km · 57 sec

  24. 24

    Keep slight right to continue on Main Street North, Broadway

    1656 ft · 22 sec

  25. 25

    Turn straight onto North Broadway

    1.3 mi · 3 min · North Broadway

  26. 26

    Turn left onto West 5th Street

    639 ft · 17 sec · West 5th Street

  27. 27

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    1209 ft · 31 sec · North Main Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto West 1st Street

    16 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

  29. 29

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Oakland and Santa Ana.

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
29 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
283 mi · 70%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
30.2 mi · 7%
Santa Ana Freeway
26 mi · 6%
I 405 South
25 mi · 6%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 4%
Nimitz Freeway
9.71 mi · 2%
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
06h 27m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
12h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+31.5 mi
373.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kettleman City
03h 13m from Oakland
Leave By
11:06 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny leaving Oakland and Partly Sunny near Santa Ana.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Oakland to Santa Ana?

The road trip is about 405 miles (651.8 km) and usually takes 06h 27m 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?

Kettleman City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 201.1 miles from Oakland and 203.9 miles from Santa Ana.

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

The direct path is about 373.5 miles (601.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 31.5 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 $82.44 one way or $164.88 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 127 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny around Oakland and Partly Sunny near Santa Ana.

Stop Ideas Near Kettleman City

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

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

BUS

Kettleman City, California

3 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
BUS

Lemoore, California

34 mi away
300 E Street
RAIL

Corcoran station

38 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

41 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Oakland and Santa Ana. Straight-line distance: 373.48 mi (601.06 km).

Oakland

#1 Oakland

The third most populous city in California, Oakland is a major center for business, manufacturing, and culture.

Population424,891
Coordinates37.8043700, -122.2708000
Altitude13
CountryUnited States
Santa Ana

#2 Santa Ana

The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.

Population331,301
Coordinates33.7455700, -117.8678300
Altitude35
CountryUnited States
Start: 14th Street (-122.270903, 37.804207)
End: West 1st Street (-117.86783, 33.745553)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 652 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 29m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 07m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 06m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 45m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 47m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 03m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.29 gal
54.1 L · about $82.44
Round trip
$164.88
28.58 gal · 108.2 L
Estimated CO2
127 kg one way
Round trip: 254 kg / 560 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $82.44 $164.88
Mid-grade $6.07 $86.68 $173.37
Premium $6.24 $89.21 $178.42
Diesel $7.57 $108.13 $216.26

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Oakland and Santa Ana. The current time is 15:07:40.

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.