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Travel and Time

Cities Near South San Francisco

Cities near South San Francisco, California: 10 notable destinations within day-trip and weekend range, including San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda. Compare distance, drive time and flight time, with day-trip and getaway ideas.

The closest notable city to South San Francisco, California is San Mateo, about 8 mi (13 km) away — roughly 26 min by road. Below, 10 nearby cities are ranked by distance, with real drive and flight estimates and whether each works best as a day trip or an overnight getaway.

CityDistanceDriveFlightBest for
San Mateo8 mi / 13 km26 minDrive/railDay trip
San Francisco8 mi / 13 km28 minDrive/railDay trip
Alameda11 mi / 18 km38 minDrive/railDay trip
Castro Valley18 mi / 29 km34 minDrive/railDay trip
Richmond20 mi / 32 km38 minDrive/railDay trip
Palo Alto21 mi / 33 km40 minDrive/railDay trip
Union City22 mi / 35 km42 minDrive/railDay trip
San Rafael23 mi / 37 km44 minDrive/railDay trip
San Ramon25 mi / 40 km48 minDrive/railDay trip
Walnut Creek26 mi / 41 km49 minDrive/railDay trip

Day trips from South San Francisco

Within about 100 miles and easy to visit in a day: San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Castro Valley, Richmond. These are close enough to go and return without an overnight stay.

Getting around

Nearby cities are usually quickest by car or train; for the longer hops a regional flight can save time. Tap any city above for its full distance, driving-time and flight-time breakdown, or plan a specific route with the tools below.

Distance calculatorFlight time calculator

Frequently asked questions

Notable cities near South San Francisco include San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Castro Valley, Richmond. The closest is San Mateo, about 8 miles (13 km) away. The table above lists each with its distance, drive time and best use.

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