Before setting out, please note that Oroville has two different locations commonly referred to as a “Veterans Hall.” Enter the full address for the memorial—Veterans Memorial Building, 2374 Montgomery Street, Oroville, CA 95965—as a search for “Oroville Veterans Hall” may instead direct you to the VFW building on Elgin Street.
Oroville lies along the Feather River in the northern Sacramento Valley, approximately 65 miles north of Sacramento and about 23 miles south of Chico. Highway 70 provides the principal approach to the city and connects Oroville with Sacramento, Marysville and the larger Northern California highway network. (Oroville Official Website)
For most visitors arriving from outside Northern California, Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is by far the most convenient airport for Oroville.
Flying to Oroville
Sacramento International Airport — Recommended
Sacramento International Airport (SMF) is approximately 65 road miles from Oroville. Under normal traffic conditions, the drive takes about 1 hour 10 minutes.
This is the airport we recommend for guests flying to the memorial.
Rental cars are available at Sacramento International Airport, and the airport operates free shuttle service between both terminals and its rental-car facility 24 hours a day. Uber and Lyft also operate at SMF. (Sacramento County Department of Airports)
Sacramento International Airport — flight and transportation information
From the airport, follow signs and your navigation system north toward Marysville/Oroville and CA-70 North. The drive is largely on major highways and is straightforward.
For visitors unfamiliar with Northern California geography, Sacramento International Airport is actually north of downtown Sacramento, so you do not need to drive into central Sacramento before heading to Oroville.
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is a reasonable alternative when international flights or substantially better fares make it advantageous. The drive to Oroville is roughly 160 miles and about 2¾–3 hours without major traffic delays. (Travelmath)
Because the route crosses the Bay Area and the Sacramento region, actual travel time can be considerably longer during commute periods. Guests arriving at SFO on a Friday afternoon should allow a generous traffic buffer.
SFO has a large centralized Rental Car Center connected to the terminals by the airport’s 24-hour AirTrain Blue Line. (FlySFO)
Oakland Airport
Oakland Airport (OAK) can also work well for Bay Area arrivals. It is approximately 150 miles from Oroville, with a typical drive of about 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours before allowing for heavy traffic. (Travelmath)
For guests whose flights are equally convenient into Sacramento and Oakland, Sacramento is the much easier choice.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport
Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is approximately 135–140 miles from Oroville, with a drive of roughly 2¾–3 hours in normal conditions. (Travelmath)
Reno can be useful for guests coming from destinations with convenient flights into Nevada, but the route crosses the Sierra Nevada on I-80 before turning west toward Oroville. Sacramento remains the simpler and more predictable airport for most travelers.
Chico and Oroville Airports
Although Chico is only about 25 minutes from Oroville, Chico Regional Airport currently has no scheduled commercial passenger airline service. The City of Chico confirms that the airport presently serves private, charter and other general-aviation operations rather than commercial passenger flights. (City of Chico)
Likewise, Oroville Municipal Airport does not provide scheduled airline service. It accommodates private aircraft, charter flights and private jets. (Oroville Official Website)
Driving to Oroville
Oroville is readily reached from most of Northern California. These are useful approximate driving times under ordinary conditions:
| Starting Point | Approximate Distance | Approximate Driving Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chico | 23–24 miles | 25–30 minutes |
| Sacramento | 68 miles | 1 hour 10–20 minutes |
| Sacramento International Airport | 65 miles | about 1 hour 10 minutes |
| Berkeley / East Bay | about 138 miles | about 2½ hours |
| San Francisco | about 150 miles | 2½–3 hours |
| Oakland Airport | about 150 miles | about 2¾–3 hours |
| San Jose | 185 miles | about 3 hours |
| Redding | 94 miles | about 1½ hours |
| Reno-Tahoe Airport | about 136 miles | about 2¾–3 hours |
The estimates above are based on published route distances and normal driving conditions; Bay Area and Sacramento traffic can add substantial time. (Travelmath)
From San Francisco and the Bay Area
The general route is east toward Sacramento, then north toward Marysville and Oroville, ultimately joining CA-70 North. Depending on traffic, navigation systems may route drivers through I-80 and CA-113/CA-99 or through the Sacramento freeway system before joining CA-70. Explore Butte County likewise recommends I-80 East from San Francisco, then a connection north toward Highway 99 and Butte County. (Explore Butte County)
From central San Francisco, allow approximately 2½ to 3 hours in light or moderate traffic. On a Friday afternoon, substantially more time may be prudent.
From Sacramento
Oroville is roughly 68 miles north of central Sacramento. The normal drive is approximately 1 hour 10–20 minutes, principally north toward Marysville and then on CA-70 into Oroville. (Travelmath)
From Chico
Chico is only about 23 miles from Oroville, making it entirely practical to stay in Chico and drive to the memorial. The trip normally takes about 25 minutes. (Travelmath)
The principal route from Chico is south on CA-99, east on CA-149, and then toward Oroville. Butte County’s official directions likewise identify CA-99 and CA-149 as the connection between Chico and Oroville. (Butte County Courts)
Traveling Without a Car
It is possible to reach Oroville by public transportation, although a car is considerably more convenient once you arrive.
Amtrak and Amtrak Thruway Service
An important distinction: Amtrak’s Oroville service is a connecting motorcoach service rather than a passenger train arriving in downtown Oroville.
Amtrak’s current Northern California timetable includes daily Amtrak Thruway motorcoach service between Sacramento, Marysville, Oroville and Chico. The published 2026 timetable shows several departures each day between Sacramento and Oroville. (Amtrak)
Guests coming from the Bay Area can therefore travel by Capitol Corridor train to Sacramento and connect at Sacramento Valley Station with an Amtrak Thruway bus to Oroville.
For example, passengers from Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland or Richmond can take Capitol Corridor service toward Sacramento and connect there for Oroville. This takes longer than driving but provides a viable option for someone who does not wish to rent a car.
Because Amtrak schedules can change, guests should search their exact travel date and book the complete journey through Amtrak rather than attempting to coordinate the train and bus separately.
Check Amtrak schedules and connections
The Oroville Amtrak stop is quite basic: Amtrak lists it as unstaffed, with no ticket office, waiting room, restrooms, checked-baggage service or baggage storage. Guests using this service should therefore arrange transportation from the stop to their hotel or destination in advance. (Amtrak)
From Sacramento Airport Without Renting a Car
There is no direct airport-to-Oroville public transit service from Sacramento International Airport.
A car-free journey is nevertheless possible. Sacramento Regional Transit operates Airport Express Route 142 between SMF and downtown Sacramento seven days a week, while Yolobus routes 42A and 42B also connect both airport terminals with downtown Sacramento. From downtown, travelers can continue to Sacramento Valley Station and take the Amtrak Thruway service north to Oroville. (SacRT)
This journey involves transfers and takes considerably longer than the approximately 70-minute drive, so renting a car at SMF is the simplest option for most visitors.
Staying in Chico
Guests who prefer to stay in Chico should not be concerned about the distance. Downtown Chico and Oroville are only about a 25-minute drive apart.
Butte Regional Transit — the B-Line — also operates Route 20 between Chico and Oroville. Particularly useful for memorial guests, the official Route 20 stop list includes a stop at Montgomery Street and Table Mountain Boulevard identified as the “Veteran’s Hall” stop. (Butte County Association of Governments)
Weekend Route 20 service is available, although it is substantially less frequent than driving, so guests should consult the current timetable before depending on it for both the outward and return journey. (Butte County Association of Governments)
Arriving at the Memorial
Oroville Veterans Memorial Building
2374 Montgomery Street
Oroville, California 95965
Please use the full street address when entering the destination into GPS or a navigation app. Oroville has another facility commonly referred to as the “Veterans Hall” or VFW Hall at 1901 Elgin Street. That is not the memorial location. The local VFW specifically distinguishes the two buildings. (VFW Oroville Post 1747)
The memorial is at the Veterans Memorial Building on Montgomery Street in historic Oroville.
Our Recommendation
For the easiest journey, we recommend:
- Flying guests: Fly into Sacramento International Airport (SMF) and rent a car.
- Bay Area guests: Driving directly to Oroville is generally simpler than flying.
- Guests staying in Chico: Plan on approximately a 25-minute drive to Oroville.
- Guests traveling without a car: Use Amtrak/Capitol Corridor to Sacramento followed by the Amtrak Thruway bus to Oroville, and arrange local transportation at the Oroville end.
- International guests: Compare flights into Sacramento and San Francisco. Sacramento is considerably closer, but SFO may offer a better international itinerary.
Oroville is a small Northern California city, but it is remarkably accessible: approximately an hour from Sacramento International Airport, half an hour from Chico, and within a few hours’ drive of the entire San Francisco Bay Area.
Philip G. Sciortino 