How far is San Francisco, CA from Los Altos Hills, CA?

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Los Altos Hills, CA is about 38.5 miles (62 km), with a travel time of about 00h 52m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 31.4 miles (50.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 44m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
38.54 mi
00h 52m
Flight
31.37 mi
50.49 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Francisco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
31.37 mi
Kilometers
50.49 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
38.54 mi
Kilometers
62.03 km
Drive Time
00h 52m

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 52m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Altos Hills
Sat, Apr 18, 11:31 PM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Sun, Apr 19, 12:24 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-04-18T22:39
Arrive Los Altos Hills
Sat, Apr 18, 11:31 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 52m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:52 AM to 10:52 AM PDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:46 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Francisco
9:30 PM PDT
Morning start is best

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
Hillsborough
CA

City in California

From San Francisco
19.3 mi
00h 26m
To Los Altos Hills
19.3 mi
00h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
73°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 7 mph S
Destination
70°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Francisco and Los Altos Hills.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Los Altos Hills.

  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

    143 m · 18 sec · Bryant Street

  4. 4

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 101 South: San Jose

    1719 ft · 29 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right onto James Lick Freeway

    4.3 mi · 6 min · James Lick Freeway

  6. 6

    Continue on Bayshore Freeway

    5 mi · 6 min · Bayshore Freeway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 380 West: San Bruno

    1 km · 44 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Quentin L. Kopp Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · Quentin L. Kopp Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 280 South: San Jose

    3057 ft · 57 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Junipero Serra Freeway

    23.1 mi · 27 min · Junipero Serra Freeway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Page Mill Road, Arastradero Road

    2102 ft · 51 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on Arastradero Road

    1.6 km · 2 min · Arastradero Road

  13. 13

    Turn right onto La Cresta Drive

    1120 ft · 52 sec · La Cresta Drive

  14. 14

    Turn left onto Saint Francis Road

    3181 ft · 2 min · Saint Francis Road

  15. 15

    Turn right onto West Fremont Road

    1231 ft · 46 sec · West Fremont Road

  16. 16

    Continue on Concepcion Road

    558 ft · 21 sec · Concepcion Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Alto Verde Lane

    559 ft · 25 sec · Alto Verde Lane

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Alto Verde Lane

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Francisco and Los Altos Hills.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
18 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
46.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Junipero Serra Freeway
23.1 mi · 60%
Bayshore Freeway
5.03 mi · 13%
James Lick Freeway
4.33 mi · 11%
Quentin L. Kopp Freeway
1.13 mi · 3%
Arastradero Road
0.97 mi · 3%
I 380 West
0.63 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Junipero Serra Freeway

Merge slight left onto Junipero Serra Freeway

23.1 mi · 00h 27m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 52m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+7.1 mi
31.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hillsborough
00h 26m from San Francisco
Leave By
4:46 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Los Altos Hills.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Los Altos Hills?

The road trip is about 38.5 miles (62 km) and usually takes 00h 52m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hillsborough is a useful midpoint, sitting about 19.3 miles from San Francisco and 19.3 miles from Los Altos Hills.

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

The direct path is about 31.4 miles (50.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.1 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:46 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $7.85 one way or $15.69 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Los Altos Hills.

Stop Ideas Near Hillsborough

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

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

BUS

San Francisco (Civic Center), California

23 mi away
1150 Market Street
BUS

San Francisco (Caltrain), California

23 mi away
700 4th St.
BUS

San Francisco (Conv Ctr), California

23 mi away
747 Howard St.
BUS

San Francisco (Shopping), California

24 mi away
835 Market Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Los Altos Hills. Straight-line distance: 31.37 mi (50.49 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
Los Altos Hills

#2 Los Altos Hills

City in Santa Clara County, California, United States

Population8,400
Coordinates37.3796600, -122.1374600
Altitude89
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Los Altos Hills (-122.13746, 37.37966)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 62 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 17m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 57m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 46m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 38m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 28m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.36 gal
5.15 L · about $7.85
Round trip
$15.69
2.72 gal · 10.3 L
Estimated CO2
12.1 kg one way
Round trip: 24.2 kg / 53 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $7.85 $15.69
Mid-grade $6.07 $8.25 $16.50
Premium $6.24 $8.49 $16.98
Diesel $7.57 $10.29 $20.58

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between San Francisco and Los Altos Hills. The current time is 22:39:37.

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.