How far is Santa Ana, CA from Foster City, CA?

The driving distance from Santa Ana, CA to Foster City, CA is about 404 miles (650.1 km), with a travel time of about 07h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 361.2 miles (581.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 04m 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
403.93 mi
07h 32m
Flight
361.18 mi
581.27 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Santa Ana.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
361.18 mi
Kilometers
581.27 km
Flight Time
00h 43m

Driving Distance

Road route
403.93 mi
Kilometers
650.07 km
Drive Time
07h 32m

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 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Foster City
Sun, May 31, 7:27 AM PDT
Return by in Santa Ana
Sun, May 31, 2:59 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Santa Ana
2026-05-30T23:54
Arrive Foster City
Sun, May 31, 7:27 AM PDT
Route Timing
07h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:32 PM to 3:02 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
8:56 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Santa Ana
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 Santa Ana
202 mi
03h 46m
To Foster City
201.9 mi
03h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Today

Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 10:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW
Destination
Foster City Weather
CA
Live fallback forecast
71°F
Today
Using Belmont as the closest live forecast in the San Mateo County weather hub.

Sunny

Starts
Sat, May 30 11:00 AM PDT
Wind
6 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Ana and Foster City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Ana and Foster City.

  1. 1

    Start on West 1st Street

    576 ft · 16 sec · West 1st Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto North Broadway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · North Broadway

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Santa Clara Avenue

    615 ft · 14 sec · West Santa Clara Avenue

  4. 4

    Continue on I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1787 ft · 27 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    8.9 mi · 10 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway

    25.5 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  15. 15

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

  16. 16

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

    10.4 mi · 12 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward Redwood Road

    1149 ft · 30 sec

  18. 18

    Turn left onto Redwood Road

    3104 ft · 1 min · Redwood Road

  19. 19

    Continue on A Street

    1.5 km · 2 min · A Street

  20. 20

    Turn left onto Mission Boulevard

    1735 ft · 44 sec · Mission Boulevard

  21. 21

    Turn slight right onto Jackson Street

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Jackson Street

  22. 22

    Keep slight left

    528 ft · 7 sec

  23. 23

    Keep slight right

    7.8 mi · 9 min

  24. 24

    Take the exit slight right toward Foster City Boulevard, East Hillsdale Boulevard, Third Avenue

    1013 ft · 26 sec

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on Foster City Boulevard, East Hillsdale Boulevard, Third Avenue

    124 m · 5 sec

  26. 26

    Turn straight onto Chess Drive

    38 m · 2 sec · Chess Drive

  27. 27

    Turn right onto Foster City Boulevard

    2520 ft · 56 sec · Foster City Boulevard

  28. 28

    Turn right onto Civic Center Drive

    63 m · 9 sec · Civic Center Drive

  29. 29

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Civic Center Drive

    26 m · 5 sec · Civic Center Drive

  30. 30

    Exit the roundabout onto Civic Center Drive

    888 ft · 41 sec · Civic Center Drive

  31. 31

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Shell Boulevard

    95 m · 6 sec · Shell Boulevard

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Shell Boulevard

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Ana and Foster City.

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
32 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
226 mi · 56%
Golden State Freeway
50 mi · 12%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 9%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
28.3 mi · 7%
Santa Ana Freeway
26.9 mi · 7%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 4%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

226 mi · 04h 02m

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 32m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+42.8 mi
361.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Kettleman City
03h 46m from Santa Ana
Leave By
8:56 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Santa Ana and Sunny near Foster City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Ana to Foster City?

The road trip is about 404 miles (650.1 km) and usually takes 07h 32m 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 202 miles from Santa Ana and 201.9 miles from Foster City.

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

The direct path is about 361.2 miles (581.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 42.8 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 $82.21 one way or $164.42 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 126.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Santa Ana and Sunny near Foster City.

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 Santa Ana and Foster City. Straight-line distance: 361.18 mi (581.27 km).

Santa Ana

#1 Santa Ana

The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.

Population331,301
Coordinates33.7455700, -117.8678300
Altitude35
CountryUnited States
Foster City

#2 Foster City

City in San Mateo County, California, United States

Population33,901
Coordinates37.5585500, -122.2710800
Altitude2
CountryUnited States
Start: Santa Ana (-117.86783, 33.74557)
End: Foster City (-122.27108, 37.55855)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 650 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 27m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 05m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 04m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 43m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 46m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 02m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.25 gal
53.96 L · about $82.21
Round trip
$164.42
28.5 gal · 107.92 L
Estimated CO2
126.6 kg one way
Round trip: 253.3 kg / 558 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $82.21 $164.42
Mid-grade $6.07 $86.44 $172.88
Premium $6.24 $88.96 $177.93
Diesel $7.57 $107.83 $215.66

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 31, 2026

There is no time difference between Santa Ana and Foster City. The current time is 23:54:44.

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.