How far is Tehachapi, CA from San Francisco, CA?

The driving distance from Tehachapi, CA to San Francisco, CA is about 326.3 miles (525.2 km), with a travel time of about 05h 21m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 286.3 miles (460.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 43m 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
326.36 mi
05h 21m
Flight
286.36 mi
460.85 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Tehachapi.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
286.36 mi
Kilometers
460.85 km
Flight Time
00h 34m

Driving Distance

Road route
326.36 mi
Kilometers
525.22 km
Drive Time
05h 21m

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 05h 21m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Francisco
Thu, Apr 23, 3:23 AM PDT
Return by in Tehachapi
Thu, Apr 23, 8:45 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Tehachapi
2026-04-22T22:01
Arrive San Francisco
Thu, Apr 23, 3:23 AM PDT
Route Timing
05h 21m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
11:22 AM to 1:22 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
6:16 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Tehachapi
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
Tranquillity
CA

Census-designated place in Fresno County, California

From Tehachapi
161.5 mi
02h 40m
To San Francisco
164.9 mi
02h 40m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
53°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WNW
Destination
65°F
Wednesday

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Tehachapi and San Francisco.

  1. 1

    Start on South Curry Street

    14 m · 5 sec · South Curry Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West Tehachapi Boulevard

    147 m · 19 sec · West Tehachapi Boulevard

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North Green Street

    95 m · 11 sec · North Green Street

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West H Street

    1394 ft · 28 sec · West H Street

  5. 5

    Continue on North Mill Street

    2831 ft · 1 min · North Mill Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp sharp left

    1541 ft · 38 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway

    38.9 mi · 45 min · Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway

  8. 8

    Continue on Centennial Corridor

    2.3 mi · 3 min · Centennial Corridor

  9. 9

    Continue on Westside Parkway

    6.6 mi · 8 min · Westside Parkway

  10. 10

    Continue on Stockdale Highway

    4.3 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway

  11. 11

    Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward Stockdale Highway

    46 m · 2 sec · Stockdale Highway

  12. 12

    Exit the roundabout onto Stockdale Highway

    4.5 mi · 6 min · Stockdale Highway

  13. 13

    Take the exit straight toward I 5 North

    2621 ft · 1 min

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    192.7 mi · 3 hr 27 min · Westside Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    15.9 mi · 17 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  16. 16

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    1.1 mi · 1 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  17. 17

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

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

  18. 18

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

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

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    8.3 mi · 10 min · MacArthur Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight left to continue on MacArthur Freeway

    7.2 mi · 8 min · MacArthur Freeway

  21. 21

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

    1.5 km · 1 min

  22. 22

    Merge slight right onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1015 ft · 17 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  23. 23

    Turn slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1959 ft · 33 sec · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  24. 24

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    5.5 mi · 8 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  25. 25

    Continue on Route 80

    1438 ft · 24 sec · Route 80

  26. 26

    Continue on Route 80

    1.2 km · 1 min · Route 80

  27. 27

    Continue on Route 80

    1893 ft · 32 sec · Route 80

  28. 28

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

    1919 ft · 39 sec

  29. 29

    Merge slight right onto Central Freeway

    1462 ft · 25 sec · Central Freeway

  30. 30

    Continue on Octavia Boulevard

    2490 ft · 42 sec · Octavia Boulevard

  31. 31

    Turn right onto Market Street

    629 ft · 32 sec · Market Street

  32. 32

    Keep slight right to continue on Market Street

    961 ft · 35 sec · Market Street

  33. 33

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Tehachapi 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
33 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
10
5 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
10.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
193 mi · 59%
Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway
38.9 mi · 12%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
29.6 mi · 9%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 5%
MacArthur Freeway
15.5 mi · 5%
Stockdale Highway
8.87 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

193 mi · 03h 27m

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
05h 21m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
10h 44m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+40 mi
286.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Tranquillity
02h 40m from Tehachapi
Leave By
6:16 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Tehachapi and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Tehachapi to San Francisco?

The road trip is about 326.3 miles (525.2 km) and usually takes 05h 21m 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?

Tranquillity is a useful midpoint, sitting about 161.5 miles from Tehachapi and 164.9 miles from San Francisco.

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

The direct path is about 286.3 miles (460.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 40 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 6:16 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $66.46 one way or $132.92 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 102.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Tehachapi and Chance Light Rain near San Francisco.

Stop Ideas Near Tranquillity

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

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

RAIL

Madera

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

Fresno station

43 mi away
2650 Tulare St.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

43 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198
BUS

Lemoore, California

57 mi away
300 E Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Tehachapi and San Francisco. Straight-line distance: 286.36 mi (460.85 km).

Tehachapi

#1 Tehachapi

City in California

Population12,746
Coordinates35.1321900, -118.4489700
Altitude1210
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: South Curry Street (-118.449101, 35.132208)
End: Market Street (-122.419433, 37.774953)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 525 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)10h 52m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)08h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)06h 31m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)05h 26m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)04h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 04m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
11.52 gal
43.59 L · about $66.46
Round trip
$132.92
23.04 gal · 87.18 L
Estimated CO2
102.4 kg one way
Round trip: 204.8 kg / 452 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $66.46 $132.92
Mid-grade $6.07 $69.88 $139.76
Premium $6.24 $71.92 $143.84
Diesel $7.57 $87.17 $174.34

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Tehachapi and San Francisco. The current time is 22:01:39.

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.