Drive time

Can you drive from San Francisco to Portland in one day?

Yes. It is about 10 hours of pure driving on I-5, and roughly 12 h 45 min door to door once you add real breaks and a meal. Start early and you arrive with daylight to spare.

Distance

635 miles

Driving only

10 h

Breaks and meals

2 h 45 min

Door to door

12 h 45 min

How we count the time

A 15-minute stop every two hours for fuel, restrooms and a stretch, plus a 45-minute sit-down meal every four hours. Traffic, weather and construction come on top, so check the live route before you leave.

If you want to break it up

Medford sits 375 miles in, about 5 h 54 min from San Francisco, leaving 260 miles for the next morning. It is the most even split on the route and has plenty of hotels near the highway.

More on this drive

• Full drive guide
• Best places to stop
• Gas cost
• Driving it in an EV