San Francisco to Seattle distance
San Francisco and Seattle are 679 miles (1,092 km) apart in a straight line and 807 miles (1,299 km) apart by road: about 15 hr 35 min of driving without stops, mostly on I-5 and I-505. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing, the approximate flight time and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 807 mi (1,299 km)
- Driving time
- 15 hr 35 min
- Straight line
- 679 mi (1,092 km)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on October 31, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 679 mi (1,092 km) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 807 mi (1,299 km) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 15 hr 35 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +19% 1.19 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 52 mph (83 km/h) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 0° (north) leaving San Francisco toward Seattle |
| Midpoint | 42.6927° N, 122.3792° W near Prospect (Oregon) |
| Halfway by road | Near Glendale (Oregon) 404 mi from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Approximate flight | 1 hr 50 min estimate: 30 min + the straight line at 800 km/h |
| Elevation | San Francisco: 55 ft (17 m) · Seattle: 173 ft (53 m) USGS 3DEP |
| Population | San Francisco: 826,079 · Seattle: 784,777 Census Bureau estimate for 2025 |
San Francisco to Seattle by road
The fastest driving route is 807 miles (1,299 km) long and takes about 15 hr 35 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on I-5 (392 mi), I-505 (358 mi), and I-80 (53.7 mi).
It goes through 3 states: California (329 mi), Oregon (308 mi), and Washington (166 mi). That’s an average of 52 mph (83 km/h). AAA recommends a break every two hours or 100 miles: with 7 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 17 hr 55 min. At about 8 hours behind the wheel a day, it’s a 2-day drive. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, San Francisco and Seattle are 679 miles (1,092 km) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 19% longer: for every 100 miles in a straight line you drive 119. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 40 US pairs in this series, it ranks 6th for detour (the average is 14%).
From San Francisco, Seattle lies to the north (bearing 0°), and from Seattle, San Francisco lies to the south.
Halfway between San Francisco and Seattle
Halfway along the straight line, 339 miles (546 km) from each city, is the point 42.6927° N, 122.3792° W. It falls near Prospect (Oregon, pop. 723), 6.3 mi away.
By road, the halfway point is 404 miles (650 km) from each city, near Glendale (Oregon, pop. 867), 8.6 mi away. The two midpoints are 51.3 mi apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
Time zone and flight
San Francisco and Seattle share the same time all year: both are on Pacific Time.
A direct flight would take about 1 hr 50 min. That’s an estimate: 30 minutes for takeoff, climb, descent and landing, plus the 1,092 km straight line at 800 km/h (about 497 mph), a typical airliner cruising speed. Real schedules depend on wind, routing and airports, and not every pair has a direct flight.
The two cities
San Francisco sits at 55 ft (17 m) and Seattle at 173 ft (53 m), 118 ft (36 m) higher.
San Francisco has 826,079 people and Seattle 784,777 people (Census Bureau estimate for 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many miles is it from San Francisco to Seattle?
679 miles (1,092 km) in a straight line and 807 miles (1,299 km) by road on the fastest route (mostly on I-5 and I-505).
How long is the drive from San Francisco to Seattle?
About 15 hr 35 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 7 stops of 20 minutes, about 17 hr 55 min.
Where is the halfway point between San Francisco and Seattle?
In a straight line, near Prospect (Oregon). By road, 404 mi from each city, near Glendale (Oregon).
How long is the flight from San Francisco to Seattle?
About 1 hr 50 min, estimated from the straight-line distance (1,092 km): 30 minutes for takeoff and landing plus the trip at 800 km/h. Real flight times vary with wind and routing.
Are San Francisco and Seattle in the same time zone?
Yes: both are on Pacific Time all year.
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
More distances from San Francisco
All distancesMore distances from Seattle
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on October 31, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- US city centers (GNIS) and their elevation (3DEP) · USGS (public domain)
- Population estimates, Vintage 2025 · US Census Bureau (public domain)
- Places near the midpoints: Mapsfera gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · Mapsfera
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology