How far is San Francisco, CA from Alturas, CA?

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Alturas, CA is about 357.5 miles (575.3 km), with a travel time of about 07h 16m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 275.2 miles (442.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 14h 33m 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
357.49 mi
07h 16m
Flight
275.21 mi
442.91 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Francisco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
275.21 mi
Kilometers
442.91 km
Flight Time
00h 33m

Driving Distance

Road route
357.49 mi
Kilometers
575.33 km
Drive Time
07h 16m

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 16m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Alturas
Sun, May 31, 8:52 PM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Mon, Jun 1, 4:09 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-05-31T13:35
Arrive Alturas
Sun, May 31, 8:52 PM PDT
Route Timing
07h 16m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:17 PM to 2:47 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
9:26 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Francisco
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
Red Bluff
CA

County seat of Tehama County, California, United States

From San Francisco
178.8 mi
03h 38m
To Alturas
178.7 mi
03h 38m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
82°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 9 mph W
Destination
66°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Alturas.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Alturas.

  1. 1

    Start on Market Street

    95 m · 8 sec · Market Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 11th Street

    3173 ft · 2 min · 11th Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Bryant Street

    1724 ft · 1 min · Bryant Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp left toward I 80 East: Oakland

    1538 ft · 26 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right onto Route 80

    1.5 km · 1 min · Route 80

  6. 6

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    6.4 mi · 10 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 East

    2949 ft · 45 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight right onto Nimitz Freeway

    124 m · 6 sec · Nimitz Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    3.3 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Eastshore Freeway

    7.4 mi · 9 min · Eastshore Freeway

  11. 11

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Eastshore Freeway

  12. 12

    Continue on Linus F. Claeys Freeway

    3.5 mi · 4 min · Linus F. Claeys Freeway

  13. 13

    Continue on Eastshore Freeway

    1718 ft · 27 sec · Eastshore Freeway

  14. 14

    Continue on Carquinez Bridge

    1.6 km · 1 min · Carquinez Bridge

  15. 15

    Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    14.5 mi · 17 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    13.1 mi · 15 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    803 ft · 20 sec

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    1 km · 1 min

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    159.9 mi · 2 hr 52 min

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward Burney

    1162 ft · 20 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight right

    719 ft · 18 sec

  22. 22

    Turn straight onto Highway 299

    2.8 mi · 3 min · Highway 299

  23. 23

    Continue on State Highway 299

    1 km · 54 sec · State Highway 299

  24. 24

    Continue on East Stillwater Way

    1077 ft · 17 sec · East Stillwater Way

  25. 25

    Continue on Highway 299

    19.1 mi · 25 min · Highway 299

  26. 26

    Turn left

    117.6 mi · 2 hr 43 min

  27. 27

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    2612 ft · 2 min · North Main Street

  28. 28

    Turn right onto West 4th Street

    85 m · 13 sec · West 4th Street

  29. 29

    Turn left onto North Howard Street

    23 m · 3 sec · North Howard Street

  30. 30

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Howard Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Alturas.

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
30 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 505 North
161 mi · 45%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
34 mi · 10%
Highway 299
21.9 mi · 6%
Eastshore Freeway
14.3 mi · 4%
Linus F. Claeys Freeway
3.45 mi · 1%
Carquinez Bridge
0.99 mi
Longest Stretch

I 505 North

Continue straight

160 mi · 02h 52m

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 16m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
14h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+82.3 mi
275.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Red Bluff
03h 38m from San Francisco
Leave By
9:26 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Alturas.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Alturas?

The road trip is about 357.5 miles (575.3 km) and usually takes 07h 16m 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?

Red Bluff is a useful midpoint, sitting about 178.8 miles from San Francisco and 178.7 miles from Alturas.

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

The direct path is about 275.2 miles (442.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 82.3 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 $72.75 one way or $145.49 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 112.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Alturas.

Stop Ideas Near Red Bluff

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

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

BUS

Red Bluff, California

2 mi away
228 S. Main Street
BUS

Corning, California

28 mi away
1081 Solano Street
RAIL

Redding station

47 mi away
1620 Yuba Street
BUS

Redding (RABA Transit Center), California

47 mi away
1530 Yuba Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Alturas. Straight-line distance: 275.21 mi (442.91 km).

San Francisco

#1 San Francisco

The seventeenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Population866,606
Coordinates37.7749300, -122.4194200
Altitude16
CountryUnited States
Alturas

#2 Alturas

City in California, USA

Population2,542
Coordinates41.4871400, -120.5434900
Altitude1332
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Alturas (-120.54349, 41.48714)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 575 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)11h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 56m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 08m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 57m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
12.61 gal
47.75 L · about $72.75
Round trip
$145.49
25.22 gal · 95.5 L
Estimated CO2
112.1 kg one way
Round trip: 224.1 kg / 494 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $72.75 $145.49
Mid-grade $6.07 $76.49 $152.98
Premium $6.24 $78.72 $157.45
Diesel $7.57 $95.42 $190.84

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 31, 2026

There is no time difference between San Francisco and Alturas. The current time is 13:35:42.

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.