Origin
Moss Beach, CA
Late night in Moss Beach on Tuesday
Local time
1:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Moss Beach, 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 2m
Distance
46.1 mi
74 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 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 6m
12 PM
1h 5m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 12m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Moss Beach, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 46.1-mile drive from Moss Beach to San Jose, California, is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 2 minutes. With an estimated fuel cost of $11, it's an economical option for a day trip. The route primarily utilizes the Junipero Serra Freeway and Cabrillo Highway, with a significant 65% share of highway driving. You'll experience a consistent drive without needing to break it up overnight. This trip connects two points within the Pacific Coast region, offering a smooth transition between coastal proximity and inland destinations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Junipero Serra Freeway | 27.4 mi | 31m |
| Cabrillo Highway | 6 mi | 9m |
| San Mateo Road | 4.9 mi | 8m |
| Sinclair Freeway | 2.9 mi | 3m |
| Half Moon Bay Road | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Main Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Saint James Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Market Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Junipero Serra Freeway
— 27.4 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Moss Beach, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on CA 1
6.0 mi
·
9 min
·
Cabrillo Highway
2
Turn left onto Main Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Main Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
3
Turn left onto CA 92
4.9 mi
·
8 min
·
San Mateo Road
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on CA 92; CA 35
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Half Moon Bay Road
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 8A
Toward I 280 South: San Jose
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto I 280
27 mi
·
31 min
·
Junipero Serra Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 280
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
Sinclair Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit 3A
Toward CA 87 North, CA 87 South: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward CA 87 North: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward CA 87 North
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 6B
Toward Julian Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
West Saint James Street
Use the straight lane.
13
Turn left onto North Market Street
416 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
14
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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 23.1 miles from Moss Beach, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 13.9 and 45.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
13.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 280 South: San Jose
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8A
Toward I 280 South: San Jose
8
44.4 mi into trip
|
~58m in
Take the exit toward CA 87 North, CA 87 South: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
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 3A
Toward CA 87 North, CA 87 South: San Jose Inter...
8
44.7 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 87 North: San Jose International Airport, Guadalupe Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 87 North: San Jose International Airp...
7
45.4 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Keep slight left at fork toward CA 87 North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 87 North
9
45.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m 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
$10.60 one way
$21.19 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $10.92 | $21.84 |
| premium | $6.18 | $11.21 | $22.42 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.18 | $20.36 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.84 | $2.21 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.03 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.45 | $2.95 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
1:09 AM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
NW 5 to 14 mph
0% chance
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
9 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 2m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-dominant experience on this 46.1-mile route, with 65% of the drive on freeways. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 27.4 miles on the Junipero Serra Freeway, providing a steady pace for a good portion of your journey. While primarily a highway drive, you'll also navigate segments on Cabrillo Highway and San Mateo Road, which may offer slightly different driving dynamics. The overall character is one of efficient travel, prioritizing getting you to your destination with minimal fuss.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 27.4 mi on Junipero Serra Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Junipero Serra Freeway and Cabrillo Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.9 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.1 miles you will encounter 10 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 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Starting in Moss Beach, CA
Full guide →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 2m. Total distance: 46.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 27.4 miles on Junipero Serra 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 13.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 44.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir Woods National Monument (4 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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