Spanning 41.3 miles between Alamo and San Jose, this trip is a straightforward journey within the Pacific Coast region of California. You can easily complete the drive in about 51 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Budgeting roughly $10 for fuel should cover your needs for this quick transit. Since the trip is short and efficient, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated logistics. It serves as a practical connection between two points, ideal for those who prefer to keep their travel time minimal and focused.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Donald D Doyle Highway
28.8 mi
33m
Nimitz Freeway
8.3 mi
9m
North 1st Street
1.5 mi
3m
Mission Boulevard
1.5 mi
2m
Stone Valley Road
0.1 mi
<1m
West Julian Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
North Market Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Danville Boulevard
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Donald D Doyle Highway
— 28.8 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alamo, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on this road
74 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto Danville Boulevard
72 ft·3 sec·Danville Boulevard
3
Turn right onto Stone Valley Road
0.1 mi·20 sec·Stone Valley Road
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·32 sec
Toward I 680 South: San Jose
5
Merge onto I 680
29 mi·33 min·Donald D Doyle Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 12Toward CA 262Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic University, Warm Springs DistrictUse the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto CA 262
1.5 mi·2 min·Mission Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 880
8.3 mi·9 min·Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Exit 4AToward Downtown, North First StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn left onto North 1st Street
1.5 mi·3 min·North 1st Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
12
Turn right onto West Julian Street
494 ft·17 sec·West Julian Street
13
Turn left onto North Market Street
196 ft·6 sec·North Market Street
14
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 20.6 miles from Alamo, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 39.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Danville Boulevard
Turn right onto Danville Boulevard
Navigation decision point
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 680 South: San Jose
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Toward I 680 South: San Jose
7
29.2 mi into trip|~34m in
Take the exit toward CA 262
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12
Toward CA 262
9
29.4 mi into trip|~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic University, Warm Springs District
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic Univers...
8
39.4 mi into trip|~46m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, North First Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4A
Toward Downtown, North First Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.49 one way
$18.98 round trip
$5.84/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$6.02
$9.78
$19.56
premium
$6.18
$10.04
$20.09
diesel
$5.61
$9.12
$18.24
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
12.4
0
$4.34
$1.98
Efficient EV
10.3
0
$3.61
$1.65
EV Truck/SUV
16.5
0
$5.78
$2.64
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026
Origin
Alamo, CA
Late night
in Alamo on Tuesday
Local time
3:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Chance Rain Showers
WSW 10 mph37% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 12 at 4:57PM PDT until April 12 at 5:15PM PDT by NWS Sacramento CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 2:16PM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
Destination
San Jose, CA
Late night
in San Jose on Tuesday
Local time
3:55 AM
PDT
Current temp
61°F
Chance Rain Showers
WSW 10 mph30% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 12 at 4:57PM PDT until April 12 at 5:15PM PDT by NWS Sacramento CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 12 at 2:16PM PDT until April 12 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Hanford CA
75°F
Fremont, CA
21 mi in
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
51m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that balances highway efficiency with navigating city streets. Only 20% of your route is spent on highways, meaning you will spend the majority of your time maneuvering through local traffic. You will tackle your longest uninterrupted stretch on the Donald D Doyle Highway, which covers 28.8 miles of the journey. As you transition onto the Nimitz Freeway and eventually North 1st Street, the driving environment shifts from high-speed corridors to more technical, urban settings. Stay alert, as the mix of fast-paced transit and local turning requirements keeps the drive engaging.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.8 mi on Donald D Doyle Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Danville Boulevard.
Driving Effort8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 41.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Danville Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 29.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
476 ft11 ft
Total Climb
291 ft
Total Descent
479 ft
Highest Point
476 ft
~5.9 mi in
Elevation Range
464 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Alamo, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Warm Springs District along the way.
Often called "the capital of Silicon Valley", San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, 3rd largest in California, and the 12th largest city in the United States, with a population of over 997,000 residents as of 2024. It was named the 6th safest big city in the U.S. in 2015. This clean, sprawling metropolis has sports, beautiful vistas, and ethnic enclaves and bleeds into the greater Bay Area for travelers who want to take their time in Northern California.
Top landmarks
•Winchester Mystery House — Mansion in San Jose, California.
•San Jose Diridon station — railway station complex in San Jose, California
•Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum — building in San Jose, California, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 41.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.8 miles on Donald D Doyle Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at San Jose, CA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Danville Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 29.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at San Jose, CA before heading back.
