How far is Palo Alto, CA from Fremont, CA?

The driving distance from Palo Alto, CA to Fremont, CA is about 16.1 miles (25.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 11.2 miles (18 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
16.09 mi
00h 26m
Flight
11.21 mi
18.04 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Palo Alto.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
11.21 mi
Kilometers
18.04 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
16.09 mi
Kilometers
25.89 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 Fremont
Thu, May 7, 8:22 AM PDT
Return by in Palo Alto
Thu, May 7, 8:48 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Palo Alto
2026-05-07T07:56
Arrive Fremont
Thu, May 7, 8:22 AM 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 Palo Alto
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
Newark
CA

A city in Alameda County, California.

From Palo Alto
8.3 mi
00h 13m
To Fremont
7.8 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
69°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, May 7 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW
Destination
75°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, May 7 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
7 to 12 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Palo Alto and Fremont.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Palo Alto and Fremont.

  1. 1

    Start on Middlefield Road

    1458 ft · 56 sec · Middlefield Road

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Melville Avenue

    1619 ft · 1 min · Melville Avenue

  3. 3

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Channing Avenue

    50 m · 8 sec · Channing Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Lincoln Avenue

    2441 ft · 2 min · Lincoln Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto University Avenue

    1.1 km · 2 min · University Avenue

  6. 6

    Turn left onto Donohoe Street

    127 m · 16 sec · Donohoe Street

  7. 7

    Take the ramp left toward US 101 North: San Francisco

    1108 ft · 24 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

    2150 ft · 28 sec · Bayshore Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Willow Road

    1287 ft · 36 sec

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Willow Road

    1.4 km · 2 min · Willow Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Bayfront Expressway

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Bayfront Expressway

  12. 12

    Continue on Dumbarton Bridge

    6.6 mi · 9 min · Dumbarton Bridge

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward I 880 South, CA 84 East: San Jose, Fremont

    2160 ft · 55 sec

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Nimitz Freeway

    2.6 mi · 3 min · Nimitz Freeway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward Mowry Avenue, Central Fremont

    1404 ft · 36 sec

  16. 16

    Turn left

    36 m · 3 sec

  17. 17

    Turn straight onto Mowry Avenue

    643 ft · 11 sec · Mowry Avenue

  18. 18

    Continue on Mowry Avenue

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Mowry Avenue

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Mowry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Palo Alto and Fremont.

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
19 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
118 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Dumbarton Bridge
6.63 mi · 41%
Nimitz Freeway
2.58 mi · 16%
Mowry Avenue
1.85 mi · 12%
Bayfront Expressway
1.61 mi · 10%
Willow Road
1.12 mi · 7%
University Avenue
0.69 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Dumbarton Bridge

Continue on Dumbarton Bridge

6.63 mi · 00h 09m

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
+4.9 mi
11.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Newark
00h 13m from Palo Alto
Leave By
7:38 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Palo Alto and Sunny near Fremont.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Palo Alto to Fremont?

The road trip is about 16.1 miles (25.9 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?

Newark is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.3 miles from Palo Alto and 7.8 miles from Fremont.

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

The direct path is about 11.2 miles (18 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.9 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 $3.29 one way or $6.58 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Palo Alto and Sunny near Fremont.

Stop Ideas Near Newark

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

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

RAIL

Fremont station

4 mi away
37260 Fremont Blvd.
BUS

Fremont (San Joaquin Buses), California

10 mi away
999 Upper Mission Blvd
RAIL

Hayward station

16 mi away
22555 Meekland Avenue
RAIL

Santa Clara – Great America station

19 mi away
5099 Stars & Stripes Dr.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Palo Alto and Fremont. Straight-line distance: 11.21 mi (18.04 km).

Palo Alto

#1 Palo Alto

The most populous city in Santa Clara County, California.

Population67,008
Coordinates37.4418800, -122.1430200
Altitude9
CountryUnited States
Fremont

#2 Fremont

The fifth most populous city in California.

Population234,569
Coordinates37.5482700, -121.9885700
Altitude17
CountryUnited States
Start: Middlefield Road (-122.14292, 37.441976)
End: Mowry Avenue (-121.988548, 37.548259)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 26 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 24m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 19m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 16m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.57 gal
2.15 L · about $3.29
Round trip
$6.58
1.14 gal · 4.3 L
Estimated CO2
5.1 kg one way
Round trip: 10.1 kg / 22 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $3.29 $6.58
Mid-grade $6.07 $3.46 $6.92
Premium $6.24 $3.56 $7.12
Diesel $7.57 $4.31 $8.63

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 07, 2026

There is no time difference between Palo Alto and Fremont. The current time is 07:56:06.

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.