Origin
Belmont, CA
Late night in Belmont on Tuesday
Local time
2:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Belmont, CA to San Jose, CA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
26.1 mi
42 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 38m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Belmont, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Belmont to San Jose, this 26.1-mile journey is a quick transition across the Pacific Coast region. You can expect to reach your destination in about 28 minutes, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $4 for fuel will cover your transit, which relies heavily on local roads like Harbor Boulevard and segments of US 101 South. Because the trip is so efficient, it serves as a straightforward commute rather than a multi-day excursion. Whether you are heading south for business or a change of scenery, the route is designed for speed and convenience within the Bay Area.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Bayshore Freeway | 21.4 mi | 24m |
| Guadalupe Freeway | 2.5 mi | 2m |
| Harbor Boulevard | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| El Camino Real | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Saint James Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Julian Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Bayshore Freeway
— 21.4 mi, about 24m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Belmont, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on CA 82
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
El Camino Real
2
Turn left onto Harbor Boulevard
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Harbor Boulevard
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward US 101 South
Use the straight lane.
4
Merge onto US 101
13 mi
·
15 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
8.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Bayshore Freeway
Toward US 101 South: San Jose, Los Angeles
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 390
Toward CA 87 South: Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on CA 87
2.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Guadalupe Freeway
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street, Saint James Street
Use the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto West Julian Street
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
West Julian Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
10
Continue on West Saint James Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Saint James Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Turn left onto North Market Street
416 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.3 and 25.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Harbor Boulevard
Turn left onto Harbor Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward US 101 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward US 101 South
8
14.1 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Bayshore Freeway toward US 101 South: San Jose, Los Angeles
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 101 South: San Jose, Los Angeles
7
22.4 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Take the exit toward CA 87 South: Guadalupe Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 390
Toward CA 87 South: Guadalupe Parkway
8
25.4 mi into trip
|
~30m in
Take the exit toward Julian Street, Saint James Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street, Saint James Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.00 one way
$12.00 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $6.18 | $12.36 |
| premium | $6.18 | $6.35 | $12.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.76 | $11.53 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.74 | $1.25 |
| Efficient EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.28 | $1.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.4 | 0 | $3.65 | $1.67 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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.
Destination
San Jose, CA
Late night in San Jose on Tuesday
Local time
2:36 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.
Temperature spread
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
32m 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 that keeps you alert as you navigate from Belmont toward San Jose. Unlike a long-haul interstate cruise, this route features a 0% highway share, meaning you will spend your time navigating surface streets and the Bayshore Freeway. The experience is defined by urban maneuvering rather than stretches of open road. Since there are no designated stops along the 26.1-mile path, you can anticipate a continuous, focused drive from start to finish. It is a practical, functional trip that prioritizes getting you to your destination quickly over long-distance highway cruising.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.4 mi on Bayshore Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bayshore Freeway and Guadalupe Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near Harbor Boulevard.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 9 decision points packed into just 26.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles (Harbor Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Belmont, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Los Angeles along the way.
Los Angeles
14.1 mi in
|
~17m
|
via US 101
About the Cities
Starting in Belmont, CA
Full guide →Founded 1926
Belmont is on the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area of 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 32m. Total distance: 26.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.4 miles on Bayshore Freeway. 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 0.3 miles (Harbor Boulevard): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 14.1 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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