San Francisco is roughly 500 miles (about 800 km) from San Diego by the fastest driving route, which usually takes around 8–10 hours by car depending on traffic and stops.

By Car

  • Fastest inland route (via I‑5): about 495–500 miles / 796–805 km.
  • Typical drive time: about 9–10 hours without long stops; traffic around Los Angeles can add extra time.
  • More scenic coastal options (mix of Highway 1 and 101) stretch to around 545–580 miles.

By Plane

  • Air distance between San Francisco (SFO) and San Diego (SAN) is about 446–447 miles (around 718 km).
  • Direct flight time is usually around 1–1.5 hours in the air, though total trip time is longer once you include airport processes.

In practical terms: think of it as a full-day road trip or a short hop by plane between two major California cities.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.