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

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Chinatown, CA is about 2.3 miles (3.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 08m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 1.6 miles (2.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 16m 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
2.28 mi
00h 08m
Flight
1.61 mi
2.59 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Francisco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
1.61 mi
Kilometers
2.59 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
2.28 mi
Kilometers
3.67 km
Drive Time
00h 08m

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 08m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chinatown
Thu, Oct 15, 5:36 PM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Thu, Oct 15, 5:44 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-10-15T17:28
Arrive Chinatown
Thu, Oct 15, 5:36 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 08m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:08 AM to 7:08 PM PDT

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

Leave by
8:14 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
Sausalito
CA

City in Marin County, California, United States

From San Francisco
1.1 mi
00h 04m
To Chinatown
1.1 mi
00h 04m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
88°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 7:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 7 mph SE
Destination
84°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Market Street

    810 ft · 20 sec · Market Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto 10th Street

    116 m · 18 sec · 10th Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto Jessie Street

    149 m · 29 sec · Jessie Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto 9th Street

    130 m · 19 sec · 9th Street

  5. 5

    Continue on Larkin Street

    1.5 km · 3 min · Larkin Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto California Street

    147 m · 21 sec · California Street

  7. 7

    Turn left onto Hyde Street

    668 ft · 24 sec · Hyde Street

  8. 8

    Turn right onto Clay Street

    2886 ft · 2 min · Clay Street

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Stockton Street

    975 ft · 53 sec · Stockton Street

  10. 10

    Turn left onto Pacific Avenue

    14 m · 2 sec · Pacific Avenue

  11. 11

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Pacific Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
11 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
478.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Larkin Street
0.93 mi · 41%
Clay Street
0.55 mi · 24%
Stockton Street
0.18 mi · 8%
Market Street
0.15 mi · 7%
Hyde Street
0.13 mi · 6%
Jessie Street
0.09 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Larkin Street

Continue on Larkin Street

0.93 mi · 00h 04m

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 08m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+0.7 mi
1.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sausalito
00h 04m from San Francisco
Leave By
8:14 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Chinatown.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) and usually takes 00h 08m 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?

Sausalito is a useful midpoint, sitting about 1.1 miles from San Francisco and 1.1 miles from Chinatown.

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

The direct path is about 1.6 miles (2.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 0.7 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 8:14 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $0.50 one way or $1.00 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 0.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Sausalito

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 Sausalito and the surrounding midpoint area.
San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photographer
Practical stop 1.6 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 6.3 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
SF City Hall Photographer
Nearby stop 2.9 mi away

SF City Hall Photographer

San Francisco , CA
564 Clipper St, San Francisco, CA 94114, United States
Rating 5.0/5 2 reviews Wedding photographer
My City Hall Wedding
Practical stop 0.3 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 Sausalito.

BUS

San Francisco (Wharf), California

9 mi away
Beach St. & The Embarcadero
BUS

San Francisco (Civic Center), California

11 mi away
1150 Market Street
BUS

San Francisco (Ferry), California

11 mi away
101 The Embarcadero
BUS

San Francisco (Financial), California

11 mi away
5 Embarcadero Center

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Chinatown. Straight-line distance: 1.61 mi (2.59 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
Photo coming soon

#2 Chinatown

Situated on the hilly terrain of downtown San Francisco at an average elevation of 95 feet, this densely populated neighborhood serves as a significant historical and cultural center for the Chinese diaspora in North America.

Population0
Coordinates37.7966000, -122.4085800
Altitude29
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Chinatown (-122.40858, 37.7966)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 4 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 04m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 03m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 02m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 02m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 01m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 01m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.08 gal
0.3 L · about $0.50
Round trip
$1.00
0.16 gal · 0.6 L
Estimated CO2
0.7 kg one way
Round trip: 1.4 kg / 3 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $6.26 $0.50 $1.00
Mid-grade $6.50 $0.52 $1.04
Premium $6.69 $0.54 $1.07
Diesel $8.41 $0.67 $1.35

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 · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between San Francisco and Chinatown. The current time is 17:28:04.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.