How far is Stanford, CA from Santa Ana, CA?
The driving distance from Stanford, CA to Santa Ana, CA is about 391 miles (629.2 km), with a travel time of about 06h 47m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 350.5 miles (564.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 35m 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 06h 47m.
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.
Census-designated place in Kings County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Stanford and Santa Ana.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Stanford and Santa Ana.
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1
Start on Bowdoin Lane
99 m · 15 sec · Bowdoin Lane
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2
Turn right onto Arguello Mall
69 m · 10 sec · Arguello Mall
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3
Turn left onto Campus Drive East
1121 ft · 41 sec · Campus Drive East
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4
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward Bowdoin Street
5 m · 1 sec · Bowdoin Street
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5
Exit the roundabout onto Bowdoin Street
1941 ft · 55 sec · Bowdoin Street
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6
At the end of the road, turn right onto Stanford Avenue
744 ft · 31 sec · Stanford Avenue
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7
Turn left onto Peter Coutts Road
2935 ft · 1 min · Peter Coutts Road
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8
Turn right onto Page Mill Road
1.8 mi · 3 min · Page Mill Road
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9
Take the exit slight right toward I 280 South: San Jose
2384 ft · 58 sec
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10
Merge slight left onto Junipero Serra Freeway
7.2 mi · 8 min · Junipero Serra Freeway
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11
Take the exit right toward CA 85 South: Gilroy
2422 ft · 59 sec
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12
Merge slight left onto West Valley Freeway
18.1 mi · 21 min · West Valley Freeway
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13
Continue on US 101 South
1922 ft · 27 sec
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14
Continue straight
20.3 mi · 23 min
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15
Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 East: 10th Street, Pacheco Pass Road
1539 ft · 40 sec
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16
Turn left onto East 10th Street
108 m · 13 sec · East 10th Street
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17
Continue on Pacheco Pass Highway
40.6 mi · 50 min · Pacheco Pass Highway
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18
Take the exit slight right toward I 5: Los Angeles
3148 ft · 1 min
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19
Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway
181.1 mi · 3 hr 14 min · Westside Freeway
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20
Keep slight right
58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min
-
21
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
4.1 mi · 5 min · Golden State Freeway
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22
Keep slight right to continue on I 405 South
1354 ft · 18 sec
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23
Keep slight left
24.7 mi · 29 min
-
24
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway
-
25
Merge slight left onto Santa Ana Freeway
25.7 mi · 30 min · Santa Ana Freeway
-
26
Keep slight right to continue on Santa Ana Freeway
1241 ft · 16 sec · Santa Ana Freeway
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27
Take the exit slight right toward Broadway, Main Street, Santa Ana
1.3 km · 57 sec
-
28
Keep slight right to continue on Main Street North, Broadway
1656 ft · 22 sec
-
29
Turn straight onto North Broadway
2613 ft · 58 sec · North Broadway
-
30
Turn left onto West 17th Street
684 ft · 26 sec · West 17th Street
-
31
Turn right onto North Main Street
1.6 km · 2 min · North Main Street
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32
Turn right onto West 1st Street
16 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street
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33
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · West 1st Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Stanford and Santa Ana.
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
181 mi · 03h 14m
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 Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain leaving Stanford and Slight Chance Rain Showers near Santa Ana.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Stanford to Santa Ana?
The road trip is about 391 miles (629.2 km) and usually takes 06h 47m 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 195.1 miles from Stanford and 195.9 miles from Santa Ana.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 350.5 miles (564.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 40.5 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 $79.61 one way or $159.22 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 122.6 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain around Stanford and Slight Chance Rain Showers near Santa Ana.
Stop Ideas Near Kettleman City
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 Kettleman City.
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Corcoran station
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Stanford and Santa Ana. Straight-line distance: 350.53 mi (564.12 km).
#1 Stanford
Private research university located in Stanford, California, United States
| Population | 13,809 |
| Coordinates | 37.4241100, -122.1660800 |
| Altitude | 23 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Santa Ana
The most populous city in Orange County, California and the center of the Santa Ana metropolitan area.
| Population | 331,301 |
| Coordinates | 33.7455700, -117.8678300 |
| Altitude | 35 |
| Country | United States |
End: West 1st Street (-117.86783, 33.745553)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 629 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 13h 01m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 09h 46m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 07h 49m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 06h 30m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 05h 35m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 52m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $79.61 | $159.22 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $83.71 | $167.42 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $86.15 | $172.31 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $104.42 | $208.85 |
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 04, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.