How far is Walnut Creek, CA from Riverside, CA?

The driving distance from Walnut Creek, CA to Riverside, CA is about 419.4 miles (675 km), with a travel time of about 06h 36m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 377.8 miles (608 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 13h 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
419.43 mi
06h 36m
Flight
377.81 mi
608.03 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Walnut Creek.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
377.81 mi
Kilometers
608.03 km
Flight Time
00h 45m

Driving Distance

Road route
419.43 mi
Kilometers
675 km
Drive Time
06h 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 06h 36m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Riverside
Thu, Apr 23, 12:15 AM PDT
Return by in Walnut Creek
Thu, Apr 23, 6:51 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Walnut Creek
2026-04-22T17:38
Arrive Riverside
Thu, Apr 23, 12:15 AM PDT
Route Timing
06h 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
12:37 PM to 2:07 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
10:46 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in Walnut Creek
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
Lost Hills
CA

Census-designated place in Kern County, California

From Walnut Creek
207.5 mi
03h 18m
To Riverside
212 mi
03h 18m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
Wednesday

Slight Chance Light Rain

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
7 mph SW
Destination
72°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Walnut Creek and Riverside.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Walnut Creek and Riverside.

  1. 1

    Start on North Main Street

    29 m · 5 sec · North Main Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ygnacio Valley Road

    1877 ft · 1 min · Ygnacio Valley Road

  3. 3

    Take the exit left toward I 680 South: San Jose

    1730 ft · 45 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    1.6 km · 1 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on Donald D Doyle Highway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Donald D Doyle Highway

  6. 6

    Keep slight right to continue on Donald D Doyle Highway

    13.4 mi · 16 min · Donald D Doyle Highway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Livermore, Stockton

    1362 ft · 33 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 580 East: Livermore, Stockton

    1.1 km · 1 min

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on I 580: Stockton

    1581 ft · 39 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  11. 11

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

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

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    11.1 mi · 12 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  13. 13

    Keep slight left to continue on William Elton Brown Freeway

    5.9 mi · 6 min · William Elton Brown Freeway

  14. 14

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    224.4 mi · 4 hr · Westside Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right

    58.4 mi · 1 hr 7 min

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway

    2 mi · 2 min · Golden State Freeway

  17. 17

    Take the exit slight right toward I 210 East: Pasadena

    1347 ft · 18 sec

  18. 18

    Continue on Foothill Freeway

    24.4 mi · 28 min · Foothill Freeway

  19. 19

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    19.1 mi · 22 min · Foothill Freeway

  20. 20

    Keep slight right to continue on Foothill Freeway

    2476 ft · 33 sec · Foothill Freeway

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 57 South: Santa Ana

    1.4 km · 2 min

  22. 22

    Continue on Orange Freeway

    3.2 mi · 4 min · Orange Freeway

  23. 23

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 71: Corona

    1.1 mi · 2 min

  24. 24

    Continue on Chino Valley Freeway

    3.1 mi · 4 min · Chino Valley Freeway

  25. 25

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 60 East: Riverside

    1.4 mi · 3 min

  26. 26

    Merge slight left onto Pomona Freeway

    12 mi · 14 min · Pomona Freeway

  27. 27

    Take the exit slight right toward Van Buren Boulevard, Etiwanda Avenue

    2448 ft · 1 min

  28. 28

    Turn straight onto Mission Boulevard

    852 ft · 15 sec · Mission Boulevard

  29. 29

    Continue on Van Buren Boulevard

    6.1 mi · 9 min · Van Buren Boulevard

  30. 30

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    3.6 mi · 6 min · Central Avenue

  31. 31

    Turn sharp right

    52 m · 13 sec

  32. 32

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Walnut Creek and Riverside.

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
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
11
4 merges, 7 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
7.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
283 mi · 67%
Foothill Freeway
44 mi · 10%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
19.2 mi · 5%
William Elton Brown Freeway
17 mi · 4%
Donald D Doyle Highway
14.8 mi · 4%
Pomona Freeway
12 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

224 mi · 04h 00m

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
06h 36m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
13h 14m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+41.6 mi
377.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lost Hills
03h 18m from Walnut Creek
Leave By
10:46 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Light Rain leaving Walnut Creek and Mostly Sunny near Riverside.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Walnut Creek to Riverside?

The road trip is about 419.4 miles (675 km) and usually takes 06h 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?

Lost Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 207.5 miles from Walnut Creek and 212 miles from Riverside.

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

The direct path is about 377.8 miles (608 km), while the road route adds roughly 41.6 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 $85.38 one way or $170.76 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 131.5 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Light Rain around Walnut Creek and Mostly Sunny near Riverside.

Stop Ideas Near Lost Hills

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

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

RAIL

Wasco station

33 mi away
700 G Street
BUS

Kettleman City, California

47 mi away
3300 Hubert Way
RAIL

Corcoran station

55 mi away
1099 Otis Ave.
RAIL

Bakersfield

67 mi away
601 Truxtun Ave

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Walnut Creek and Riverside. Straight-line distance: 377.81 mi (608.03 km).

Walnut Creek

#1 Walnut Creek

The fifth most populous city in Contra Costa County, California.

Population69,936
Coordinates37.9063100, -122.0649600
Altitude52
CountryUnited States
Riverside

#2 Riverside

The most populous city in Riverside County, California and the center of the Riverside metropolitan area.

Population330,786
Coordinates33.9533500, -117.3961600
Altitude252
CountryUnited States
Start: North Main Street (-122.064521, 37.906436)
End: (-117.396162, 33.953244)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 675 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)13h 58m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)10h 29m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)08h 23m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 59m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 59m
80 mph (129 km/h)05h 13m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
14.8 gal
56.03 L · about $85.38
Round trip
$170.76
29.6 gal · 112.06 L
Estimated CO2
131.5 kg one way
Round trip: 263.1 kg / 580 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $85.38 $170.76
Mid-grade $6.07 $89.78 $179.55
Premium $6.24 $92.40 $184.79
Diesel $7.57 $111.99 $223.98

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 Walnut Creek and Riverside. The current time is 17:38:43.

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.