Origin
Hollister, CA
Afternoon in Hollister on Sunday
Local time
2:16 PM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hollister, CA to San Jose, CA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
47.1 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$11
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 10m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hollister, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are traveling from Hollister to San Jose, you are looking at a straightforward 47.8-mile journey that typically takes about 51 minutes. Since both cities are located within the Pacific Coast region of California, this trip is ideal as a simple day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You can easily complete the drive in under an hour, making it a flexible option for your schedule. With a fuel budget of approximately $6, it remains a very affordable commute. Whether you are heading north for business or leisure, this route provides a direct connection between the two areas without the need for extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Freeway | 23.1 mi | 26m |
| Bolsa Road | 8.5 mi | 11m |
| CA 85 | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Guadalupe Parkway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Hollister Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Bloomfield Avenue | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| San Felipe Road | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Guadalupe Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Freeway
— 23.1 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hollister, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on this road
28 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto 4th Street
161 ft
·
9 sec
·
4th Street
3
Turn right onto CA 156 Business
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
San Benito Street
4
Continue on CA 156 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
San Felipe Road
5
Turn left onto CA 25
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Bolsa Road
6
Turn straight
373 ft
·
6 sec
7
Turn slight right onto CA 25
6.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Bolsa Road
8
Continue on CA 25
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Hollister Road
9
Continue on CA 25
0.7 mi
·
55 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
10
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto US 101
23 mi
·
26 min
·
South Valley Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 85
5.2 mi
·
6 min
·
CA 85
Exit 377B
Toward CA 85 North: Cupertino, Mountain View
Use the slight right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 5A
Toward CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on CA 87
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on CA 87
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Guadalupe Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 6
Toward CA 82
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
Toward CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian Street
Use the slight left lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 87 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Saint James Street
Use the straight lane.
21
Turn left onto North Market Street
416 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
22
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.6 miles from Hollister, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 35.2 and 46.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
35.2 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
CA 85
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 85 toward CA 85 North: Cupertino, Mountain View
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 377B
Toward CA 85 North: Cupertino, Mountain View
7
40.4 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 5A
Toward CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose
7
45.8 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Take the exit toward CA 82
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6
Toward CA 82
8
45.9 mi into trip
|
~57m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian...
9
46.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Julian Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.83 one way
$21.65 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $11.16 | $22.31 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.45 | $22.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.40 | $20.80 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.95 | $2.26 |
| Efficient EV | 11.8 | 0 | $4.12 | $1.88 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.8 | 0 | $6.59 | $3.01 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (63% 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
Afternoon in San Jose on Sunday
Local time
2:16 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
14 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
59m 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 high-speed interstate experience. You will navigate using 4th Street, San Benito Street, and San Felipe Road, as this route features a 0% highway share. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on 4th Street, you should prepare for a drive that requires your full attention on local roads. This path offers a consistent, hands-on experience behind the wheel. You will find that the personality of the road remains technical and local from start to finish.
70% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.1 mi on South Valley Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on South Valley Freeway and Bolsa Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 35.2 miles in near CA 85.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 13 decision points packed into just 47.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 35.2 miles (CA 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.8 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 Hollister, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Mountain View along the way.
Mountain View
35.2 mi in
|
~44m
|
via CA 85
About the Cities
Starting in Hollister, CA
Full guide →Hollister is a city in San Benito County at the north end of the Central Coast region 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 59m. Total distance: 47.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (70%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.1 miles on South Valley 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 35.2 miles (CA 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 45.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Pinnacles National 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.
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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