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

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Fullerton, CA is about 406.9 miles (654.8 km), with a travel time of about 07h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 368.9 miles (593.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 12m 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
406.9 mi
07h 36m
Flight
368.91 mi
593.71 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
368.91 mi
Kilometers
593.71 km
Flight Time
00h 44m

Driving Distance

Road route
406.9 mi
Kilometers
654.85 km
Drive Time
07h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Fullerton
Mon, May 4, 3:32 PM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Mon, May 4, 11:08 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-05-04T07:55
Arrive Fullerton
Mon, May 4, 3:32 PM PDT
Route Timing
07h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:36 PM to 3:06 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
8:48 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
Kettleman City
CA

Census-designated place in Kings County, California

From San Francisco
203.5 mi
03h 48m
To Fullerton
203.4 mi
03h 48m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
64°F
Monday

Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Light Rain

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph WSW
Destination
69°F
Monday

Slight Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Mon, May 4 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    5.8 mi · 9 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Downtown Oakland, Hayward-Stockton

    1.6 km · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto MacArthur Freeway

    15.9 mi · 18 min · MacArthur Freeway

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  10. 10

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

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

  11. 11

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South

    1354 ft · 18 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight left

    24.7 mi · 29 min

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    17.4 mi · 20 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 91 East: Riverside

    1.2 mi · 2 min

  21. 21

    Merge slight left onto Riverside Freeway

    2.4 mi · 3 min · Riverside Freeway

  22. 22

    Take the exit slight right toward Harbor Boulevard, Lemon Street, Anaheim Boulevard

    1376 ft · 26 sec

  23. 23

    Turn left onto Harbor Boulevard

    1.2 mi · 3 min · Harbor Boulevard

  24. 24

    Turn left onto West Commonwealth Avenue

    95 m · 9 sec · West Commonwealth Avenue

  25. 25

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West Commonwealth Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
25 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
6 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
6.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
283 mi · 69%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi · 7%
I 405 South
25 mi · 6%
Santa Ana Freeway
17.4 mi · 4%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 4%
MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 4%
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
07h 36m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+38 mi
368.9 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kettleman City
03h 48m from San Francisco
Leave By
8:48 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Light Rain leaving San Francisco and Slight Chance Rain Showers near Fullerton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 406.9 miles (654.8 km) and usually takes 07h 36m 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 203.5 miles from San Francisco and 203.4 miles from Fullerton.

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

The direct path is about 368.9 miles (593.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 38 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 $82.84 one way or $165.69 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 127.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Slight Chance Light Rain around San Francisco and Slight Chance Rain Showers near Fullerton.

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 San Francisco and Fullerton. Straight-line distance: 368.91 mi (593.71 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
Fullerton

#2 Fullerton

The eighth most populous city in Orange County, California.

Population139,921
Coordinates33.8702900, -117.9253400
Altitude50
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Fullerton (-117.92534, 33.87029)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 655 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 33m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 10m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 08m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 46m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 48m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.36 gal
54.35 L · about $82.84
Round trip
$165.69
28.72 gal · 108.7 L
Estimated CO2
127.6 kg one way
Round trip: 255.2 kg / 563 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $82.84 $165.69
Mid-grade $6.07 $87.11 $174.22
Premium $6.24 $89.65 $179.30
Diesel $7.57 $108.66 $217.32

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 04, 2026

There is no time difference between San Francisco and Fullerton. The current time is 07:55:43.

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.