Connecting San Francisco to San Jose is a straightforward 47.9-mile journey that typically takes about 49 minutes to complete. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a quick day trip rather than an overnight stay. You will primarily navigate via 11th Street, Bryant Street, and US 101 South to reach your destination within the Pacific Coast region. With a fuel cost of approximately $7, the trip is quite budget-friendly for most travelers. Whether you are heading south for business or leisure, this drive offers a practical way to traverse the Bay Area without requiring extensive logistical planning.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Bayshore Freeway
38.6 mi
44m
James Lick Freeway
4.3 mi
6m
Guadalupe Freeway
2.5 mi
2m
11th Street
0.6 mi
1m
West Saint James Street
0.2 mi
<1m
West Julian Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Bryant Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
North Market Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Bayshore Freeway
— 38.6 mi, about 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Francisco, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on Market Street
312 ft·7 sec·Market Street
2
Turn right onto 11th Street
0.6 mi·1 min·11th Street
3
Turn left onto Bryant Street
470 ft·18 sec·Bryant Street
4
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·28 sec
Toward US 101 South: San Jose
5
Merge onto US 101
4.3 mi·6 min·James Lick Freeway
Toward US 101 South: San JoseUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on US 101
5.2 mi·6 min·Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
25 mi·28 min·Bayshore Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101
8.4 mi·9 min·Bayshore Freeway
Toward US 101 South: San Jose, Los AngelesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Exit 390Toward CA 87 South: Guadalupe ParkwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on CA 87
2.5 mi·2 min·Guadalupe Freeway
Use the straight lane.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·42 sec
Exit 6BToward Julian Street, Saint James StreetUse the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto West Julian Street
0.1 mi·22 sec·West Julian Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
13
Continue on West Saint James Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·West Saint James Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn left onto North Market Street
416 ft·8 sec·North Market Street
15
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 23.8 miles from San Francisco, 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.1 and 46.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|US 101 / James Lick Freeway
Merge onto US 101 / James Lick Freeway toward US 101 South: San Jose
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 101 South: San Jose
6
10.6 mi into trip|~14m in|US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 101 / Bayshore Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
35.6 mi into trip|~43m 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
44 mi into trip|~53m 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
46.9 mi into trip|~57m 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
$10.79 one way
$21.58 round trip
$5.76/gal25.4 MPG avg17 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.96
$11.16
$22.32
premium
$6.09
$11.42
$22.83
diesel
$5.61
$10.51
$21.02
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14.3
0
$5.00
$2.28
Efficient EV
11.9
0
$4.17
$1.90
EV Truck/SUV
19
0
$6.66
$3.05
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 17, 2026
Origin
San Francisco, CA
Morning
in San Francisco on Tuesday
Local time
11:28 AM
PDT
Current temp
71°F
Sunny
NW 2 to 8 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 5:29AM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 17 at 5:29AM PDT until April 17 at 2:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Destination
San Jose, CA
Morning
in San Jose on Tuesday
Local time
11:28 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
22 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
58m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention as you navigate out of the city. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route focuses on local navigation, meaning your highway share is effectively 0 percent. You will find that there is no single long-distance stretch on this drive, as the longest uninterrupted segment is 0 miles on 11th Street. The road's personality is defined by its urban, technical nature rather than high-speed cruising. You should prepare for a constant flow of turns and local traffic patterns as you make your way toward San Jose.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 38.6 mi on Bayshore Freeway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Bayshore Freeway and James Lick Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.1 miles in near US 101 / James Lick Freeway.
Driving Effort7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 47.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.1 miles (US 101 / James Lick Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.6 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.
On the drive from San Francisco, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Los Angeles along the way.
The centerpiece of the Bay Area, San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the world, and with good reason. The cultural center of northern California, San Francisco is renowned for its mixture of scenic beauty and unique culture that makes it one of the most vibrant and desirable cities in the nation, if not the world.
Sandwiched between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean on a small square of land seven miles (11 km) on each side, San Francisco offers a wealth of treasures for the visitor, from the windswept and often foggy bay to the steep hills lined with Victorian homes that overlook the spectacular scenery of the city.
Top landmarks
•Golden Gate Bridge — suspension bridge on the San Francisco Bay
•Alcatraz Island — island in San Francisco, California, United States of America
•San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — suspension bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland, California, USA
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 58m. Total distance: 47.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 38.6 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 1.1 miles (US 101 / James Lick Freeway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.6 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35.6 miles (US 101 / Bayshore Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area (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.
