Origin
Monterey, CA
Late night in Monterey on Tuesday
Local time
2:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monterey, 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
1h 26m
Distance
72.6 mi
117 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 31m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 39m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monterey, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Monterey to San Jose covers 72.7 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 12 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip, it works perfectly as a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You will navigate through the Pacific Coast region using local roads like Washington Street, Abrego Street, and Fremont Street. Expect to spend approximately $10 on fuel for the journey. Since there are no designated stops required, you have the flexibility to complete the drive in one efficient push. This route is best suited for those looking for a direct, straightforward connection between these two California hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Valley Freeway | 26.3 mi | 30m |
| El Camino Real | 13.2 mi | 15m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 13 mi | 14m |
| CA 156 | 6.7 mi | 8m |
| CA 85 | 5.2 mi | 6m |
| Guadalupe Parkway | 4.3 mi | 5m |
| Fremont Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Guadalupe Freeway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
South Valley Freeway
— 26.3 mi, about 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monterey, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on West Franklin Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
West Franklin Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Washington Street
3
Continue on Abrego Street
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Abrego Street
4
Turn left onto CA 1 Business
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Fremont Street
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward CA 1 North
6
Merge onto CA 1; CA 68
0.2 mi
·
10 sec
·
Cabrillo Highway
7
Keep slight left at fork onto CA 1
13 mi
·
13 min
·
Cabrillo Highway
Toward CA 1: Santa Cruz, San Francisco
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 156
6.3 mi
·
8 min
·
CA 156
Use the straight lane.
9
Turn straight onto CA 156
490 ft
·
6 sec
·
CA 156
10
Keep slight right at fork onto CA 156
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
CA 156
11
Merge onto US 101; CA 156
13 mi
·
15 min
·
El Camino Real
12
Continue on US 101
26 mi
·
30 min
·
South Valley Freeway
Use the slight right lane.
13
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.
14
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 5A
Toward CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on CA 87
4.3 mi
·
5 min
·
Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on CA 87
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
·
Guadalupe Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
Exit 6
Toward CA 82
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
Toward CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian Street
Use the slight left lane.
19
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 87 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Saint James Street
Use the straight lane.
22
Turn left onto North Market Street
416 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
23
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.3 miles from Monterey, 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 165 decision points cluster between mile 60.6 and 72.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
60.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m 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
65.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m 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
71.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 23m 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
71.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 24m 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
72.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m 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
$16.69 one way
$33.37 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $17.20 | $34.39 |
| premium | $6.18 | $17.66 | $35.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.03 | $32.06 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$17
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.62 | $3.48 |
| Efficient EV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.35 | $2.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29 | 0 | $10.16 | $4.65 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
18 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 26m 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?
This journey is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise. With a 0% highway share, you will remain on local surface streets for the entire 72.7-mile duration. The route relies on navigating turns along Washington, Abrego, and Fremont Streets, meaning there is no monotonous, long-distance highway stretch. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on Washington Street, you should stay alert and ready for frequent transitions. It is a practical, hands-on driving experience that demands your full attention as you navigate through the local road network.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 26.3 mi on South Valley Freeway.
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 60.6 miles in near CA 85.
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 72.6 miles you will encounter 16 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 60.6 miles (CA 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.2 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 Monterey, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Mountain View along the way.
Mountain View
60.6 mi in
|
~1h 11m
|
via CA 85
About the Cities
Starting in Monterey, CA
Full guide →Founded 1770
Monterey is a city (population 28,000 in 2018) in the Monterey County area of Monterey Bay in California. Monterey is one of the more beautiful coastal cities of California, and then a historic city can make for a great two-day trip for those visiting San Francisco or a weekend getaway for California natives. It has more historic buildings in its downtown than any other city west of Santa Fe, and a world-class aquarium.
Top landmarks
- • Monterey Bay Aquarium — nonprofit public aquarium in Monterey, California
- • Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo — historic church in California, United States
- • Old Customhouse — custom house in Monterey, United States of America
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 26m. Total distance: 72.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 26.3 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 60.6 miles (CA 85): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 65.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 71.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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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