How far is Spring Valley, CA from San Francisco, CA?

The driving distance from Spring Valley, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 518 miles (833.6 km), with a travel time of about 08h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 462.7 miles (744.7 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 17h 13m 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
517.95 mi
08h 36m
Flight
462.75 mi
744.73 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Spring Valley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
462.75 mi
Kilometers
744.73 km
Flight Time
00h 55m

Driving Distance

Road route
517.95 mi
Kilometers
833.56 km
Drive Time
08h 36m

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 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Francisco
Wed, May 13, 1:18 AM PDT
Return by in Spring Valley
Wed, May 13, 9:54 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Spring Valley
2026-05-12T16:41
Arrive San Francisco
Wed, May 13, 1:18 AM PDT
Route Timing
08h 36m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
2:37 PM to 4:07 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
6:46 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Spring Valley
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
Buttonwillow
CA

Place in Kern County California

From Spring Valley
254 mi
04h 18m
To San Francisco
264 mi
04h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
75°F
Tuesday

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 10 mph SW
Destination
80°F
Tuesday

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 12 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
0 to 9 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Spring Valley and San Francisco.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Spring Valley and San Francisco.

  1. 1

    Start on Helix Street

    22 m · 7 sec · Helix Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Kenwood Drive

    1453 ft · 41 sec · Kenwood Drive

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Bancroft Drive

    2636 ft · 1 min · Bancroft Drive

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Campo Road

    2827 ft · 1 min · Campo Road

  5. 5

    Continue on Campo Road

    114 m · 8 sec · Campo Road

  6. 6

    Continue on Spring Street

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Spring Street

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on I 8 West: San Diego

    1211 ft · 18 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Mission Valley Freeway

    6.1 mi · 7 min · Mission Valley Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward I 805 South, I 805 North: National City, Chula Vista, Los Angeles

    150 m · 12 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on I 805 North: Los Angeles

    3275 ft · 1 min

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Jacob Dekema Freeway

    10.1 mi · 12 min · Jacob Dekema Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    1.3 km · 56 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight right onto San Diego Freeway

    35.4 mi · 42 min · San Diego Freeway

  14. 14

    Keep slight right to continue on San Diego Freeway

    18.1 mi · 21 min · San Diego Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on San Diego Freeway

    7.4 mi · 9 min · San Diego Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on Bake Parkway

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  17. 17

    Keep slight right

    6 mi · 7 min

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward Jamboree Road

    1266 ft · 17 sec

  19. 19

    Continue straight

    527 ft · 11 sec

  20. 20

    Turn right onto Jamboree Road

    760 ft · 18 sec · Jamboree Road

  21. 21

    Turn left onto El Camino Real

    2.2 mi · 5 min · El Camino Real

  22. 22

    Turn left onto Newport Avenue

    109 m · 14 sec · Newport Avenue

  23. 23

    Take the ramp right toward I 5 North: Los Angeles

    1127 ft · 17 sec

  24. 24

    Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway

    1.3 mi · 1 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  25. 25

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  26. 26

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    9.4 mi · 11 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  27. 27

    Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway

    18 mi · 21 min · Santa Ana Freeway

  28. 28

    Keep slight right to continue on Golden State Freeway

    25.5 mi · 30 min · Golden State Freeway

  29. 29

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Golden State Freeway

  30. 30

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

    1.5 mi · 2 min

  31. 31

    Keep slight left

    36.1 mi · 42 min

  32. 32

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway

  33. 33

    Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway

    225.6 mi · 4 hr 2 min · Westside Freeway

  34. 34

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  35. 35

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  36. 36

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

  37. 37

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

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

  38. 38

    Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway

  39. 39

    Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway

  40. 40

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

    1.5 km · 1 min

  41. 41

    Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  42. 42

    Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  43. 43

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  44. 44

    Continue on Route 80

    1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80

  45. 45

    Continue on Route 80

    1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80

  46. 46

    Continue on Route 80

    1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80

  47. 47

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

    1919 ft · 39 sec

  48. 48

    Merge slight right onto Central Freeway

    1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway

  49. 49

    Continue on Octavia Boulevard

    2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard

  50. 50

    Turn right onto Market Street

    629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street

  51. 51

    Keep slight right to continue on Market Street

    961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street

  52. 52

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Spring Valley and San Francisco.

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
52 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
11
7 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
226 mi · 44%
San Diego Freeway
60.9 mi · 12%
Golden State Freeway
50 mi · 10%
I 5 Truck North
37.7 mi · 7%
Santa Ana Freeway
30.4 mi · 6%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.6 mi · 6%
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
08h 36m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
17h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+55.3 mi
462.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Buttonwillow
04h 18m from Spring Valley
Leave By
6:46 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny leaving Spring Valley and Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny near San Francisco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Spring Valley to San Francisco?

The road trip is about 518 miles (833.6 km) and usually takes 08h 36m 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 254 miles from Spring Valley and 264 miles from San Francisco.

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

The direct path is about 462.7 miles (744.7 km), while the road route adds roughly 55.3 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 $105.46 one way or $210.91 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 162.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny around Spring Valley and Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny near San Francisco.

Stop Ideas Near Buttonwillow

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

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

RAIL

Wasco station

25 mi away
700 G Street
RAIL

Bakersfield

41 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave
RAIL

Corcoran station

78 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
BUS

Kettleman City, California

79 mi away
3300 Hubert Way

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Spring Valley and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 462.75 mi (744.73 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Spring Valley

Town in San Diego County, California, United States

Population28,205
Coordinates32.7447700, -116.9989200
Altitude119
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: Helix Street (-116.99876, 32.744772)
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 834 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)17h 15m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)12h 56m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)10h 21m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)08h 37m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)07h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)06h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
18.28 gal
69.19 L · about $105.46
Round trip
$210.91
36.56 gal · 138.38 L
Estimated CO2
162.5 kg one way
Round trip: 324.9 kg / 716 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $105.46 $210.91
Mid-grade $6.07 $110.89 $221.77
Premium $6.24 $114.12 $228.24
Diesel $7.57 $138.32 $276.65

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 12, 2026

There is no time difference between Spring Valley and San Francisco. The current time is 16:41:36.

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.