How far is San Rafael, CA from Chula Vista, CA?
The driving distance from San Rafael, CA to Chula Vista, CA is about 525.7 miles (846 km), with a travel time of about 08h 12m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 479.5 miles (771.7 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 16h 24m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT.
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.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 08h 12m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
Place in Kern County California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Rafael and Chula Vista.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Rafael and Chula Vista.
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1
Start on Fourth Street
2667 ft · 1 min · Fourth Street
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2
Turn right onto Hetherton Street
652 ft · 17 sec · Hetherton Street
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3
Take the ramp straight toward US 101 South: San Francisco, Oakland
1389 ft · 36 sec
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4
Merge slight left onto Redwood Highway
1805 ft · 28 sec · Redwood Highway
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5
Keep slight right to continue on John T. Knox Freeway
13.6 mi · 17 min · John T. Knox Freeway
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6
Merge slight left onto Eastshore Freeway
3.8 mi · 5 min · Eastshore Freeway
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7
Keep slight left to continue on Interstate Highway 80
1321 ft · 21 sec · Interstate Highway 80
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8
Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway
16.4 mi · 19 min · MacArthur Freeway
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9
Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
11.5 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
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10
Keep slight right to continue on Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
17.8 mi · 21 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
-
11
Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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12
Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway
5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway
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13
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway
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14
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
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15
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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16
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
-
17
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
-
18
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
-
19
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
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20
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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21
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
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22
Keep slight left
788 ft · 10 sec
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23
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 South
981 ft · 13 sec
-
24
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 54 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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25
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 km · 52 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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26
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
27
Take the exit slight right toward Newport Avenue
1.2 km · 1 min
-
28
Turn right onto Newport Avenue
1943 ft · 44 sec · Newport Avenue
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29
Turn left onto Walnut Avenue
2.2 mi · 4 min · Walnut Avenue
-
30
Turn left onto Jamboree Road
2595 ft · 38 sec · Jamboree Road
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31
Take the exit slight right toward I 5 South
1479 ft · 21 sec
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32
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
5.5 mi · 6 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
33
Keep slight left to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1.3 km · 56 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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34
Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway
62.4 mi · 1 hr 13 min · San Diego Freeway
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35
Take the exit slight left
1.3 km · 55 sec
-
36
Continue on Jacob Dekema Freeway
18.6 mi · 21 min · Jacob Dekema Freeway
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37
Take the exit slight right toward CA 54 East, CA 54 West
1234 ft · 30 sec
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38
Keep slight right to continue on CA 54 West
1631 ft · 40 sec
-
39
Merge slight left onto South Bay Freeway
2230 ft · 27 sec · South Bay Freeway
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40
Take the exit slight right toward Highland Avenue, 4th Avenue
1451 ft · 44 sec
-
41
Turn left onto Highland Avenue
1711 ft · 31 sec · Highland Avenue
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42
Continue on 4th Avenue
1.5 km · 2 min · 4th Avenue
-
43
Turn right onto F Street
98 m · 34 sec · F Street
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44
Continue on F Street
83 m · 5 sec · F Street
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45
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · F Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Rafael and Chula Vista.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
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.
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.
Mostly Sunny leaving San Rafael and Mostly Sunny near Chula Vista.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Rafael to Chula Vista?
The road trip is about 525.7 miles (846 km) and usually takes 08h 12m 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?
Buttonwillow is a useful midpoint, sitting about 259.7 miles from San Rafael and 265.9 miles from Chula Vista.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 479.5 miles (771.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 46.2 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 $107.01 one way or $214.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 164.9 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around San Rafael and Mostly Sunny near Chula Vista.
Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Buttonwillow.
Wasco station
Bakersfield
Corcoran station
Kettleman City, California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Rafael and Chula Vista. Straight-line distance: 479.51 mi (771.69 km).
#1 San Rafael
The most populous city in Marin County, California.
| Population | 58,528 |
| Coordinates | 37.9735300, -122.5310900 |
| Altitude | 13 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Chula Vista
The second most populous city in San Diego County, California.
| Population | 272,979 |
| Coordinates | 32.6400500, -117.0842000 |
| Altitude | 21 |
| Country | United States |
End: F Street (-117.084196, 32.640039)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 846 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 17h 30m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 13h 08m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 10h 30m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 08h 45m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 07h 30m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 06h 33m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $107.01 | $214.03 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $112.52 | $225.05 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $115.81 | $231.62 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $140.37 | $280.74 |
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 18, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.