How far is San Francisco, CA from South Taft, CA?

The driving distance from San Francisco, CA to South Taft, CA is about 289.5 miles (465.9 km), with a travel time of about 05h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 245.8 miles (395.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 53m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 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
289.48 mi
05h 26m
Flight
245.73 mi
395.46 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
245.73 mi
Kilometers
395.46 km
Flight Time
00h 29m

Driving Distance

Road route
289.48 mi
Kilometers
465.87 km
Drive Time
05h 26m

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 05h 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in South Taft
Thu, Apr 16, 6:50 AM PDT
Return by in San Francisco
Thu, Apr 16, 12:17 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Francisco
2026-04-16T01:23
Arrive South Taft
Thu, Apr 16, 6:50 AM PDT
Route Timing
05h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:27 AM to 1:27 PM PDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
6:06 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Francisco
9:00 PM PDT
Early departure recommended

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
Mendota
CA

City in Illinois, United States

From San Francisco
144.7 mi
02h 43m
To South Taft
144.7 mi
02h 43m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
69°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 8 mph NNW
Destination
68°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph N

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco and South Taft.

  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

    198.9 mi · 3 hr 33 min · Westside Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 43: Taft, Maricopa

    1887 ft · 46 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight right

    70 m · 8 sec

  16. 16

    Turn straight onto Enos Lane

    1.6 mi · 2 min · Enos Lane

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on Enos Lane

    88 m · 6 sec · Enos Lane

  18. 18

    Turn straight onto Taft Highway

    16.5 mi · 23 min · Taft Highway

  19. 19

    Turn right onto Gardner Field Road

    76 m · 9 sec · Gardner Field Road

  20. 20

    Continue on Main Street

    2204 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  21. 21

    Turn left onto 2nd Street

    791 ft · 35 sec · 2nd Street

  22. 22

    Continue on Olive Avenue

    766 ft · 34 sec · Olive Avenue

  23. 23

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Olive Avenue

Car Route Details

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

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
23 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
4 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
199 mi · 69%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.3 mi · 10%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 6%
Taft Highway
16.5 mi · 6%
MacArthur Freeway
15.9 mi · 6%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
5.76 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

199 mi · 03h 33m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
05h 26m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+43.7 mi
245.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mendota
02h 43m from San Francisco
Leave By
6:06 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Francisco and Mostly Sunny near South Taft.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Francisco to South Taft?

The road trip is about 289.5 miles (465.9 km) and usually takes 05h 26m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Mendota is a useful midpoint, sitting about 144.7 miles from San Francisco and 144.7 miles from South Taft.

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

The direct path is about 245.8 miles (395.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 43.7 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 6:06 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $58.96 one way or $117.92 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 90.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Francisco and Mostly Sunny near South Taft.

Stop Ideas Near Mendota

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

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

RAIL

Madera

41 mi away
Avenue 15 1/2 at 29th Road
RAIL

Fresno station

53 mi away
2650 Tulare St.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

60 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198
RAIL

Merced station

62 mi away
324 West 24th St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Francisco and South Taft. Straight-line distance: 245.73 mi (395.46 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
South Taft

#2 South Taft

Census-designated place in Kern County, California

Population2,169
Coordinates35.1346900, -119.4562300
Altitude310
CountryUnited States
Start: San Francisco (-122.41942, 37.77493)
End: South Taft (-119.45623, 35.13469)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 466 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 38m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)07h 14m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 47m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 49m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 08m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 36m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
10.22 gal
38.67 L · about $58.96
Round trip
$117.92
20.44 gal · 77.34 L
Estimated CO2
90.8 kg one way
Round trip: 181.7 kg / 401 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $58.96 $117.92
Mid-grade $6.07 $61.99 $123.99
Premium $6.24 $63.80 $127.61
Diesel $7.57 $77.33 $154.67

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between San Francisco and South Taft. The current time is 01:23:57.

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.