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

The driving distance from Buttonwillow, CA to San Jose, CA is about 217 miles (349.3 km), with a travel time of about 03h 32m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 190.1 miles (306 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 07h 04m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
217.06 mi
03h 32m
Flight
190.13 mi
305.98 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Buttonwillow.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
190.13 mi
Kilometers
305.98 km
Flight Time
00h 22m

Driving Distance

Road route
217.06 mi
Kilometers
349.33 km
Drive Time
03h 32m

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 03h 32m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Jose
Thu, Apr 16, 3:01 PM PDT
Return by in Buttonwillow
Thu, Apr 16, 6:33 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Buttonwillow
2026-04-16T11:29
Arrive San Jose
Thu, Apr 16, 3:01 PM PDT
Route Timing
03h 32m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:32 AM to 11:32 AM PDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
9:56 AM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Buttonwillow
9:00 PM PDT
Early departure recommended

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
Mendota
CA

City in Illinois, United States

From Buttonwillow
108.4 mi
01h 46m
To San Jose
108.7 mi
01h 46m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Thursday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph NNW
Destination
68°F
Thursday

Sunny

Starts
Thu, Apr 16 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph NNW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on East 1st Street

    1370 ft · 1 min · East 1st Street

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Buttonwillow Drive

    3.9 mi · 7 min · Buttonwillow Drive

  3. 3

    Take the ramp left

    1220 ft · 30 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    139.2 mi · 2 hr 29 min · Westside Freeway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 West: Gilroy, Hollister, San Jose

    1038 ft · 27 sec

  6. 6

    Continue straight

    28.7 mi · 33 min

  7. 7

    Keep slight right

    11.9 mi · 17 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward US 101 North: San Jose

    2466 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto South Valley Freeway

    19.9 mi · 23 min · South Valley Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on CA 85 North: Cupertino, Mountain View

    5.2 mi · 6 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose

    1 km · 51 sec

  12. 12

    Continue on Guadalupe Parkway

    4.3 mi · 5 min · Guadalupe Parkway

  13. 13

    Continue on Guadalupe Freeway

    2235 ft · 29 sec · Guadalupe Freeway

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 82

    1010 ft · 19 sec

  15. 15

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian Street

    2389 ft · 52 sec

  16. 16

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 87 North

    1469 ft · 36 sec

  17. 17

    Keep slight right to continue on Julian Street

    982 ft · 26 sec

  18. 18

    Turn right onto West Saint James Street

    867 ft · 28 sec · West Saint James Street

  19. 19

    Turn left onto North Market Street

    127 m · 9 sec · North Market Street

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Buttonwillow 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
20 steps
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
7
2 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
9.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Westside Freeway
139 mi · 64%
CA 152 West
40.9 mi · 19%
South Valley Freeway
19.9 mi · 9%
CA 85 North
5.18 mi · 2%
Guadalupe Parkway
4.34 mi · 2%
Buttonwillow Drive
4.15 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Westside Freeway

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

139 mi · 02h 29m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 32m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
07h 04m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+26.9 mi
190.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mendota
01h 46m from Buttonwillow
Leave By
9:56 AM PDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Buttonwillow 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 Buttonwillow to San Jose?

The road trip is about 217 miles (349.3 km) and usually takes 03h 32m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Mendota is a useful midpoint, sitting about 108.4 miles from Buttonwillow and 108.7 miles from San Jose.

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

The direct path is about 190.1 miles (306 km), while the road route adds roughly 26.9 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 9:56 AM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $44.19 one way or $88.38 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 68.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Buttonwillow and Sunny near San Jose.

Stop Ideas Near Mendota

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Mendota, 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 Mendota.

RAIL

Madera

41 mi away
Avenue 15 1/2 at 29th Road
RAIL

Fresno station

53 mi away
2650 Tulare St.
BUS

Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California

60 mi away
25th Ave and Highway 198
RAIL

Merced station

62 mi away
324 West 24th St

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Buttonwillow and San Jose. Straight-line distance: 190.13 mi (305.98 km).

Buttonwillow

#1 Buttonwillow

Place in Kern County California

Population1,508
Coordinates35.4005200, -119.4695600
Altitude82
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: East 1st Street (-119.469559, 35.400436)
End: North Market Street (-121.894962, 37.339389)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 349 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)07h 13m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)05h 25m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)04h 20m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)03h 37m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)03h 06m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 42m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
7.66 gal
28.99 L · about $44.19
Round trip
$88.38
15.32 gal · 57.98 L
Estimated CO2
68.1 kg one way
Round trip: 136.1 kg / 300 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $44.19 $88.38
Mid-grade $6.07 $46.47 $92.93
Premium $6.24 $47.82 $95.64
Diesel $7.57 $57.96 $115.93

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 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Buttonwillow and San Jose. The current time is 11:29:08.

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.