How far is Berkeley, CA from San Jose, CA?

The driving distance from Berkeley, CA to San Jose, CA is about 46.4 miles (74.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 58m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 42.2 miles (67.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 56m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
46.42 mi
00h 58m
Flight
42.18 mi
67.89 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Berkeley.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
42.18 mi
Kilometers
67.89 km
Flight Time
00h 05m

Driving Distance

Road route
46.42 mi
Kilometers
74.7 km
Drive Time
00h 58m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 58m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Jose
Thu, Apr 23, 8:07 AM PDT
Return by in Berkeley
Thu, Apr 23, 9:05 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Berkeley
2026-04-23T07:09
Arrive San Jose
Thu, Apr 23, 8:07 AM PDT
Route Timing
00h 58m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:58 AM to 10:58 AM PDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:34 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Berkeley
9:30 PM PDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Union City
CA

A city in Placer County, California.

From Berkeley
22.7 mi
00h 29m
To San Jose
23.7 mi
00h 29m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Thursday

Areas Of Fog then Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 7 mph WNW
Destination
70°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 23 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Berkeley and San Jose.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Berkeley and San Jose.

  1. 1

    Start on University Avenue

    24 m · 9 sec · University Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Martin Luther King Junior Way

    1.4 mi · 5 min · Martin Luther King Junior Way

  3. 3

    Turn straight onto Adeline Street

    1410 ft · 53 sec · Adeline Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Martin Luther King Junior Way

    1.3 km · 2 min · Martin Luther King Junior Way

  5. 5

    Keep slight left to continue on Martin Luther King Junior Way

    68 m · 6 sec · Martin Luther King Junior Way

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight left toward CA 24 West: Downtown Oakland, San Francisco, Hayward

    1025 ft · 25 sec

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on I 980: Downtown Oakland

    2504 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Grove Shafter Freeway

    3167 ft · 42 sec · Grove Shafter Freeway

  9. 9

    Continue on John B. Williams Freeway

    1.4 mi · 2 min · John B. Williams Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on I 880 South: San Jose

    1952 ft · 37 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight left onto Nimitz Freeway

    10.4 mi · 13 min · Nimitz Freeway

  12. 12

    Keep slight left

    5.6 mi · 6 min

  13. 13

    Keep slight left

    2.4 mi · 3 min

  14. 14

    Keep slight left

    19.4 mi · 22 min

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward Downtown, North First Street

    991 ft · 26 sec

  16. 16

    Turn left onto North 1st Street

    1.5 mi · 4 min · North 1st Street

  17. 17

    Turn right onto West Julian Street

    151 m · 18 sec · West Julian Street

  18. 18

    Turn left onto North Market Street

    60 m · 7 sec · North Market Street

  19. 19

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Berkeley and San Jose.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
19 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
40.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Nimitz Freeway
37.8 mi · 82%
Martin Luther King Junior Way
2.31 mi · 5%
North 1st Street
1.53 mi · 3%
John B. Williams Freeway
1.43 mi · 3%
Grove Shafter Freeway
0.6 mi · 1%
I 980
0.47 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Nimitz Freeway

Keep slight left

19.4 mi · 00h 22m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 58m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 56m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.2 mi
42.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Union City
00h 29m from Berkeley
Leave By
4:34 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Areas Of Fog then Sunny leaving Berkeley and Sunny near San Jose.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Berkeley to San Jose?

The road trip is about 46.4 miles (74.7 km) and usually takes 00h 58m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Union City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 22.7 miles from Berkeley and 23.7 miles from San Jose.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 42.2 miles (67.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.2 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:34 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $9.46 one way or $18.92 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 14.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Areas Of Fog then Sunny around Berkeley and Sunny near San Jose.

Stop Ideas Near Union City

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Union City, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Union City.

RAIL

Fremont station

8 mi away
37260 Fremont Blvd.
RAIL

Hayward station

8 mi away
22555 Meekland Avenue
BUS

Fremont (San Joaquin Buses), California

15 mi away
999 Upper Mission Blvd
RAIL

Pleasanton, CA

19 mi away
4950 Pleasanton Avenue

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Berkeley and San Jose. Straight-line distance: 42.18 mi (67.89 km).

Berkeley

#1 Berkeley

The fourth most populous city in Alameda County, California.

Population122,726
Coordinates37.8715900, -122.2727500
Altitude52
CountryUnited States
San Jose

#2 San Jose

The tenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Jose metropolitan area.

Population1,013,616
Coordinates37.3393900, -121.8949600
Altitude26
CountryUnited States
Start: University Avenue (-122.272751, 37.871595)
End: North Market Street (-121.89496, 37.33939)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 75 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 32m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)01h 09m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 55m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 46m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 39m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 34m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.64 gal
6.2 L · about $9.46
Round trip
$18.92
3.28 gal · 12.4 L
Estimated CO2
14.6 kg one way
Round trip: 29.1 kg / 64 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $9.46 $18.92
Mid-grade $6.07 $9.95 $19.90
Premium $6.24 $10.24 $20.48
Diesel $7.57 $12.41 $24.82

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Apr 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Berkeley and San Jose. The current time is 07:09:27.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.