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

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Berkeley, CA is about 13 miles (21 km), with a travel time of about 00h 23m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 10.4 miles (16.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 46m 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
13.05 mi
00h 23m
Flight
10.43 mi
16.78 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Francisco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
10.43 mi
Kilometers
16.78 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
13.05 mi
Kilometers
21 km
Drive Time
00h 23m

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 23m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Berkeley
Sat, Apr 11, 8:14 AM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Sat, Apr 11, 8:37 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-04-11T07:51
Arrive Berkeley
Sat, Apr 11, 8:14 AM PDT
Route Timing
00h 23m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:23 AM to 7:23 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:44 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in San Francisco
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
Emeryville
CA

City in the United States state of California

From San Francisco
6.5 mi
00h 11m
To Berkeley
6.5 mi
00h 11m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
59°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 13 mph SSW
Destination
58°F
Saturday

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Sat, Apr 11 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 10 mph SSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    1.9 mi · 2 min · Eastshore Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward University Avenue, Berkeley

    110 m · 9 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on University Avenue

    738 ft · 18 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto University Avenue

    1.7 mi · 5 min · University Avenue

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · University Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
13 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
2 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
99.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
6.44 mi · 49%
Eastshore Freeway
1.88 mi · 14%
University Avenue
1.87 mi · 14%
Route 80
0.95 mi · 7%
I 80 East
0.85 mi · 7%
11th Street
0.6 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

Continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

6.44 mi · 00h 10m

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 23m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.6 mi
10.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Emeryville
00h 11m from San Francisco
Leave By
7:44 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving San Francisco and Showers And Thunderstorms near Berkeley.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 13 miles (21 km) and usually takes 00h 23m 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?

Emeryville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 6.5 miles from San Francisco and 6.5 miles from Berkeley.

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

The direct path is about 10.4 miles (16.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.6 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 7:44 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.06 one way or $6.12 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around San Francisco and Showers And Thunderstorms near Berkeley.

Stop Ideas Near Emeryville

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

Mid-route Guidance
These suggestions come from reviewed places and nearby services around Emeryville and the surrounding midpoint area.
San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photographer
Practical stop 6.8 mi away

San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photographer

San Francisco , CA
3365 Sacramento St #435, San Francisco, CA 94118, United States
Rating 5.0/5 21 reviews Wedding photographer,Photographer,Wedding service
Alameda Public Works Department
Meeting point 2.9 mi away

Alameda Public Works Department

Alameda , CA
950 W Mall Square, Alameda, CA 94501, United States
Rating 5.0/5 2 reviews City government office,Home and construction
Old Berkeley City Hall
Nearby stop 4.6 mi away

Old Berkeley City Hall

Berkeley , CA
2134 Martin Luther King Jr Way, Berkeley, CA 94703, United States
Rating 5.0/5 2 reviews Civic center
My City Hall Wedding
Practical stop 5.6 mi away

My City Hall Wedding

San Francisco , CA
1480 Sutter St #302, San Francisco, CA 94109, United States
Rating 5.0/5 8 reviews Wedding photographer,Wedding planner,Wedding service,Wedding store

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Emeryville.

RAIL

Emeryville station

1 mi away
5885 Horton Street
RAIL

Oakland – Jack London Square station

4 mi away
245 Second Street
RAIL

Berkeley station

4 mi away
University Ave. and Third St.
BUS

San Francisco (Ferry), California

10 mi away
101 The Embarcadero

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Berkeley. Straight-line distance: 10.43 mi (16.78 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
Berkeley

#2 Berkeley

The fourth most populous city in Alameda County, California.

Population122,726
Coordinates37.8715900, -122.2727500
Altitude52
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Berkeley (-122.27275, 37.87159)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 21 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 26m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 19m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 13m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 11m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 09m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.53 gal
2.02 L · about $3.06
Round trip
$6.12
1.06 gal · 4.04 L
Estimated CO2
4.7 kg one way
Round trip: 9.4 kg / 21 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $3.06 $6.12
Mid-grade $6.07 $3.21 $6.43
Premium $6.24 $3.31 $6.62
Diesel $7.57 $4.01 $8.02

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 · Apr 11, 2026

There is no time difference between San Francisco and Berkeley. The current time is 07:51:12.

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.