Origin
Concord, CA
Evening in Concord on Sunday
Local time
5:06 PM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Concord, CA to San Jose, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 20, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
52.1 mi
84 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 5m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 15m
8 PM
1h 2m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Concord, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Concord to San Jose, you are looking at a 56.5-mile journey that typically takes about 55 minutes. This is a straightforward, single-day trip that keeps you entirely within the Pacific Coast region of California. You will navigate through local roads like East Street, Salvio Street, and Concord Avenue rather than relying on major interstate highways. With a fuel budget of approximately $8, this is an affordable excursion for any traveler. Since the entire route consists of local roads, you should expect a different pace than a standard high-speed highway commute.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Donald D Doyle Highway | 32.4 mi | 37m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway | 4.8 mi | 5m |
| CA 242 | 1.7 mi | 1m |
| North 1st Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Mission Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Concord Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Salvio Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Donald D Doyle Highway
— 32.4 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Concord, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on Willow Pass Road
143 ft
·
8 sec
·
Willow Pass Road
2
Turn left onto East Street
423 ft
·
25 sec
·
East Street
3
Turn left onto Salvio Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Salvio Street
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto Concord Avenue
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
Concord Avenue
5
Continue on Concord Avenue
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Concord Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Toward CA 242 South
Use the right lane.
7
Merge onto CA 242
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
CA 242
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 680
4.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on I 680
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Donald D Doyle Highway
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 680
31 mi
·
35 min
·
Donald D Doyle Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 12
Toward CA 262
Use the slight right lane.
12
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.
13
Merge onto CA 262
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mission Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 880
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 4A
Toward Downtown, North First Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Turn left onto North 1st Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North 1st Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
17
Turn right onto West Julian Street
494 ft
·
17 sec
·
West Julian Street
18
Turn left onto North Market Street
196 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Market Street
19
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from Concord, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 50.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Salvio Street
Turn left onto Salvio Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward CA 242 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward CA 242 South
7
40 mi into trip
|
~47m 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
40.2 mi into trip
|
~47m 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
50.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 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
$11.97 one way
$23.95 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.34 | $24.68 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.67 | $25.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.50 | $23.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.29 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Evening in San Jose on Sunday
Local time
5:06 PM
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
17 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
1h 4m 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 monotonous interstate grind, as this route features a 0% highway share. Because the path relies on surface streets, you won't encounter long, uninterrupted stretches; in fact, the longest stretch on East Street is 0 miles, meaning you will be navigating intersections and turns frequently. This drive requires your full attention as you transition between local thoroughfares. It is a technical, low-speed experience that contrasts sharply with the typical high-speed driving found on major California freeways.
Only 19% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 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
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 around 0.1 miles in near Salvio Street.
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 52.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.1 miles (Salvio Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 40 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.
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 Concord, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Warm Springs District along the way.
Warm Springs District
40.2 mi in
|
~47m
About the Cities
Starting in Concord, CA
Full guide →Concord is a residential and business city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the state of California.
Arriving in San Jose, CA
Full guide →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.
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 4m. Total distance: 52.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m 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 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 0.1 miles (Salvio Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 40 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From San Jose, CA
More trips to San Jose, CA
Explore more options from Concord, CA or browse trips ending in San Jose, CA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse CA road trips.