How far is San Francisco, CA from Redwood City, CA?

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to Redwood City, CA is about 25.8 miles (41.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 22.4 miles (36 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 08m 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
25.83 mi
00h 34m
Flight
22.38 mi
36.02 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Francisco.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
22.38 mi
Kilometers
36.02 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
25.83 mi
Kilometers
41.57 km
Drive Time
00h 34m

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 34m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Redwood City
Sat, Apr 18, 11:13 PM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Sat, Apr 18, 11:47 PM 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 Redwood City
Sat, Apr 18, 11:13 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 34m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:34 AM to 7:34 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:22 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

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
Millbrae
CA

City in California

From San Francisco
12.9 mi
00h 17m
To Redwood City
12.9 mi
00h 17m

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
71°F
Saturday

Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and Redwood City.

  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

    5.2 mi · 6 min · Bayshore Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on Bayshore Freeway

    13.8 mi · 16 min · Bayshore Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward Whipple Avenue

    969 ft · 24 sec

  9. 9

    Continue on Veterans Boulevard

    2963 ft · 1 min · Veterans Boulevard

  10. 10

    Turn right onto Brewster Avenue

    2746 ft · 1 min · Brewster Avenue

  11. 11

    Turn left

    146 m · 21 sec

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
12 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
46.5 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bayshore Freeway
19.1 mi · 74%
James Lick Freeway
4.33 mi · 17%
11th Street
0.6 mi · 2%
Veterans Boulevard
0.56 mi · 2%
Brewster Avenue
0.52 mi · 2%
US 101 South
0.33 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Bayshore Freeway

Keep slight left to continue on Bayshore Freeway

13.8 mi · 00h 16m

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 34m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 08m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.4 mi
22.4 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Millbrae
00h 17m from San Francisco
Leave By
7:22 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving San Francisco and Sunny near Redwood City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to Redwood City?

The road trip is about 25.8 miles (41.6 km) and usually takes 00h 34m 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?

Millbrae is a useful midpoint, sitting about 12.9 miles from San Francisco and 12.9 miles from Redwood City.

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

The direct path is about 22.4 miles (36 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.4 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 7:22 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.25 one way or $10.50 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around San Francisco and Sunny near Redwood City.

Stop Ideas Near Millbrae

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 Millbrae and the surrounding midpoint area.
San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photographer
Practical stop 12.8 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
City of South San Francisco: City Attorney
Meeting point 3.7 mi away

City of South San Francisco: City Attorney

South San Francisco , CA
601 Grand Ave, South San Francisco, CA 94080, United States
Rating 5.0/5 2 reviews Government office
Foster City - City Hall
Nearby stop 7.4 mi away

Foster City - City Hall

Foster City , CA
610 Foster City Blvd, Foster City, CA 94404, United States
Rating 5.0/5 2 reviews City or town hall
My City Hall Wedding
Practical stop 12.5 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 Millbrae.

BUS

San Francisco (Civic Center), California

20 mi away
1150 Market Street
BUS

San Francisco (Caltrain), California

20 mi away
700 4th St.
BUS

San Francisco (Shopping), California

21 mi away
835 Market Street
BUS

San Francisco (Conv Ctr), California

21 mi away
747 Howard St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and Redwood City. Straight-line distance: 22.38 mi (36.02 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
Redwood City

#2 Redwood City

A city in San Mateo County, California.

Population85,925
Coordinates37.4852200, -122.2363500
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: Redwood City (-122.23635, 37.48522)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 42 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 51m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 38m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 30m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 25m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 22m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 19m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.91 gal
3.45 L · about $5.25
Round trip
$10.50
1.82 gal · 6.9 L
Estimated CO2
8.1 kg one way
Round trip: 16.2 kg / 36 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $5.25 $10.50
Mid-grade $6.07 $5.52 $11.04
Premium $6.24 $5.68 $11.36
Diesel $7.57 $6.89 $13.77

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 Redwood City. The current time is 22:39:38.

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.