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Trip from Antioch, CA to San Jose, CA

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 20m

Distance

66.5 mi

107 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 20m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 25m
5 PM
1h 32m
8 PM
1h 17m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city in California, United States

Antioch, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city and county seat of Santa Clara County, California, United States

San Jose, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Connecting Antioch to San Jose covers a distance of 70.9 miles, typically taking about 1 hour and 7 minutes behind the wheel. This route stays entirely within the Pacific Coast region of California, making it a straightforward day trip that does not require an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $10 for fuel to complete the journey. Because the drive is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility in your schedule to head out whenever it suits your plans. It is a practical, efficient way to move between these two points without needing to worry about complex logistics or multi-day planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Donald D Doyle Highway 32.4 mi 37m
CA 4 11.9 mi 13m
Nimitz Freeway 8.3 mi 9m
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway 4.8 mi 5m
CA 242 4.6 mi 4m
North 1st Street 1.5 mi 3m
Mission Boulevard 1.5 mi 2m
A Street 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Donald D Doyle Highway — 32.4 mi, about 37m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Antioch, CA and San Jose, CA.

1

Start on East 18th Street

70 ft · 8 sec · East 18th Street
2

Turn left onto A Street

0.4 mi · 50 sec · A Street
Use the left lane.
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Exit 28 Toward CA 4 North: Martinez Use the right lane.
4

Merge onto CA 4

12 mi · 13 min · CA 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242

4.6 mi · 4 min · CA 242
Toward CA 242: Oakland, Concord Use the slight right lane.
6

Merge onto I 680

4.8 mi · 5 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on I 680

1.4 mi · 1 min · Donald D Doyle Highway
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 680

31 mi · 35 min · Donald D Doyle Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 12 Toward CA 262 Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic University, Warm Springs District Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto CA 262

1.5 mi · 2 min · Mission Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Merge onto I 880

8.3 mi · 9 min · Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 26 sec
Exit 4A Toward Downtown, North First Street Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14

Turn left onto North 1st Street

1.5 mi · 3 min · North 1st Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
15

Turn right onto West Julian Street

494 ft · 17 sec · West Julian Street
16

Turn left onto North Market Street

196 ft · 6 sec · North Market Street
17

Arrive at destination

North Market Street

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

city in Alameda County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Dublin, CA

33 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Concord, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Dublin, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 33.3 miles from Antioch, 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.4 and 64.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
0.4 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward CA 4 North: Martinez

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 28 Toward CA 4 North: Martinez
8
12.7 mi into trip | ~15m in | CA 242

Keep slight right at fork onto CA 242 toward CA 242: Oakland, Concord

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Toward CA 242: Oakland, Concord
7
54.4 mi into trip | ~1h 3m 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
54.6 mi into trip | ~1h 3m 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
64.7 mi into trip | ~1h 15m 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

$15.28 one way

$30.57 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 23 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $15.75 $31.50
premium $6.18 $16.17 $32.34
diesel $5.61 $14.68 $29.36

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$15

Estimated CO2 emission: 23.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 20 0 $6.98 $3.19
Efficient EV 16.6 0 $5.82 $2.66
EV Truck/SUV 26.6 0 $9.31 $4.26

Gas CO2

23 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (65% 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 19, 2026

Origin

Antioch, CA

Morning in Antioch on Tuesday

Local time

8:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

--

Unavailable

Destination

San Jose, CA

Morning in San Jose on Tuesday

Local time

8:10 AM

PDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Road read

1h 20m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a straightforward interstate cruise. You will navigate through A Street, CA 4 North, and CA 242 as you make your way toward your destination. The route consists of 0% highway driving, which means your experience will be defined by local roads rather than high-speed transitions. There is no significant longest stretch on this trip, as the 0 miles on A Street suggests a series of frequent turns and shorter road segments. Be prepared to stay alert, as the winding nature of these local roads requires consistent attention compared to a standard highway haul.

37% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.4 mi on Donald D Doyle Highway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 66.5 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles (CA 242): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 54.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Antioch, CA and San Jose, CA, road signs point toward Concord and Warm Springs District.

Concord

12.7 mi in | ~15m | via CA 242

Warm Springs District

54.6 mi in | ~1h 3m

About the Cities

Starting in Antioch, CA

Full guide →

Antioch is in eastern Contra Costa County in California.

Arriving in San Jose, CA

Full guide →

Founded 1777

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

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 66.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (37%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 32.4 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: at 0.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles (CA 242): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 54.4 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 (5 total within detour distance). 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.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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