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

The driving distance from South Taft, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 279.6 miles (449.9 km), with a travel time of about 04h 42m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 245.8 miles (395.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 09h 24m 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
279.55 mi
04h 42m
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 South Taft.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
245.73 mi
Kilometers
395.46 km
Flight Time
00h 29m

Driving Distance

Road route
279.55 mi
Kilometers
449.9 km
Drive Time
04h 42m

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 04h 42m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Francisco
Thu, Apr 16, 4:28 AM PDT
Return by in South Taft
Thu, Apr 16, 9:10 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave South Taft
2026-04-15T23:45
Arrive San Francisco
Thu, Apr 16, 4:28 AM PDT
Route Timing
04h 42m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
10:42 AM to 12:42 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
7:36 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in South Taft
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
Firebaugh
CA

City in Fresno County, California, United States of America

From South Taft
145.2 mi
02h 21m
To San Francisco
134.3 mi
02h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
72°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph NNW
Destination
66°F
Wednesday

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 13 mph W

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on Olive Avenue

    1095 ft · 48 sec · Olive Avenue

  2. 2

    Continue on 2nd Street

    141 m · 22 sec · 2nd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Main Street

    2454 ft · 1 min · Main Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Taft Highway

    16.5 mi · 23 min · Taft Highway

  5. 5

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 3 toward SR 119/SR43 Taft Hwy Roundabout

    95 m · 5 sec · Enos Lane

  6. 6

    Exit the rotary onto Enos Lane

    1.9 mi · 3 min · Enos Lane

  7. 7

    Take the ramp left

    1121 ft · 27 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    199.1 mi · 3 hr 33 min · Westside Freeway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

  12. 12

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

    11.6 mi · 13 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight left toward I 80 West: San Francisco

    1.5 km · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  19. 19

    Continue on Route 80

    1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80

  20. 20

    Continue on Route 80

    1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80

  21. 21

    Continue on Route 80

    1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80

  22. 22

    Keep slight right to continue on US 101 North: Golden Gate Bridge

    1919 ft · 39 sec

  23. 23

    Merge slight right onto Central Freeway

    1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway

  24. 24

    Continue on Octavia Boulevard

    2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard

  25. 25

    Turn right onto Market Street

    629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Market Street

    961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street

  27. 27

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Market Street

Car Route Details

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

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
27 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
4 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
199 mi · 71%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.6 mi · 11%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 6%
Taft Highway
16.5 mi · 6%
MacArthur Freeway
15.5 mi · 6%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
6.04 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
04h 42m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
09h 24m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+33.8 mi
245.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Firebaugh
02h 21m from South Taft
Leave By
7:36 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving South Taft and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near San Francisco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 279.6 miles (449.9 km) and usually takes 04h 42m 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?

Firebaugh is a useful midpoint, sitting about 145.2 miles from South Taft and 134.3 miles from San Francisco.

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 33.8 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 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:36 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $56.88 one way or $113.76 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 87.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around South Taft and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near San Francisco.

Stop Ideas Near Firebaugh

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

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

RAIL

Madera

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

Merced station

50 mi away
324 West 24th St
RAIL

Fresno station

61 mi away
2650 Tulare St.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

73 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198

Flight Path Map

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

South Taft

#1 South Taft

Census-designated place in Kern County, California

Population2,169
Coordinates35.1346900, -119.4562300
Altitude310
CountryUnited States
San Francisco

#2 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
Start: Olive Avenue (-119.456212, 35.13469)
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 450 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)09h 18m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)06h 59m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)05h 35m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)04h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 59m
80 mph (129 km/h)03h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
9.86 gal
37.34 L · about $56.88
Round trip
$113.76
19.72 gal · 74.68 L
Estimated CO2
87.6 kg one way
Round trip: 175.3 kg / 386 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $56.88 $113.76
Mid-grade $6.07 $59.81 $119.62
Premium $6.24 $61.56 $123.11
Diesel $7.57 $74.61 $149.22

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 South Taft and San Francisco. The current time is 23:45:46.

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.