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

The driving distance from San Bruno, CA to San Jose, CA is about 37 miles (59.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 38m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 34.7 miles (55.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 16m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
36.95 mi
00h 38m
Flight
34.72 mi
55.87 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Bruno.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
34.72 mi
Kilometers
55.87 km
Flight Time
00h 04m

Driving Distance

Road route
36.95 mi
Kilometers
59.46 km
Drive Time
00h 38m

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 38m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in San Jose
Tue, Jun 2, 12:02 PM PDT
Return by in San Bruno
Tue, Jun 2, 12:40 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Bruno
2026-06-02T11:23
Arrive San Jose
Tue, Jun 2, 12:02 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 38m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:38 AM to 7:38 PM PDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:14 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in San Bruno
10:00 PM PDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
East Palo Alto
CA

City in San Mateo County, California, United States

From San Bruno
18.5 mi
00h 19m
To San Jose
18.5 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
66°F
Tuesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Tue, Jun 2 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 13 mph SSW
Destination
84°F
Tuesday

Sunny

Starts
Tue, Jun 2 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    63 m · 17 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto San Mateo Avenue

    82 m · 11 sec · San Mateo Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto San Bruno Avenue East

    2149 ft · 45 sec · San Bruno Avenue East

  4. 4

    Take the ramp right toward US 101 South: San Jose, San Francisco International Airport

    1647 ft · 43 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight right onto San Francisco International Airport, San Bruno Avenue

    2599 ft · 49 sec

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight left toward US 101 South: San Jose

    1444 ft · 35 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

    23.4 mi · 27 min · Bayshore Freeway

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on Bayshore Freeway

    8.4 mi · 10 min · Bayshore Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 87 South: Guadalupe Parkway

    2145 ft · 53 sec

  10. 10

    Continue on Guadalupe Freeway

    2.5 mi · 3 min · Guadalupe Freeway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Julian Street, Saint James Street

    1661 ft · 42 sec

  12. 12

    Turn left onto West Julian Street

    682 ft · 23 sec · West Julian Street

  13. 13

    Continue on West Saint James Street

    867 ft · 28 sec · West Saint James Street

  14. 14

    Turn left onto North Market Street

    127 m · 9 sec · North Market Street

  15. 15

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Market Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Bruno 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
15 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
2 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
40.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bayshore Freeway
31.8 mi · 86%
Guadalupe Freeway
2.53 mi · 7%
US 101 South
0.59 mi · 2%
San Francisco International Airport
0.49 mi · 1%
San Bruno Avenue East
0.41 mi · 1%
CA 87 South
0.41 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Bayshore Freeway

Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

23.4 mi · 00h 27m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 38m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 16m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.3 mi
34.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
East Palo Alto
00h 19m from San Bruno
Leave By
7:14 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving San Bruno 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 San Bruno to San Jose?

The road trip is about 37 miles (59.5 km) and usually takes 00h 38m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

East Palo Alto is a useful midpoint, sitting about 18.5 miles from San Bruno and 18.5 miles from San Jose.

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

The direct path is about 34.7 miles (55.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.3 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:14 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $7.56 one way or $15.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 11.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near East Palo Alto

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around East Palo Alto, 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 East Palo Alto.

RAIL

Fremont station

15 mi away
37260 Fremont Blvd.
RAIL

Santa Clara – Great America station

20 mi away
5099 Stars & Stripes Dr.
BUS

Fremont (San Joaquin Buses), California

21 mi away
999 Upper Mission Blvd
BUS

Santa Clara station

22 mi away
1001 Railroad Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Bruno and San Jose. Straight-line distance: 34.72 mi (55.87 km).

San Bruno

#1 San Bruno

A city in San Mateo County, California.

Population44,051
Coordinates37.6304900, -122.4110800
Altitude5
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: (-122.411151, 37.630497)
End: North Market Street (-121.89496, 37.33939)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 59 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 13m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 55m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 44m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 36m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 31m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 27m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.31 gal
4.94 L · about $7.56
Round trip
$15.11
2.62 gal · 9.88 L
Estimated CO2
11.6 kg one way
Round trip: 23.3 kg / 51 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $7.56 $15.11
Mid-grade $6.07 $7.95 $15.89
Premium $6.24 $8.18 $16.36
Diesel $7.57 $9.91 $19.83

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 · Jun 02, 2026

There is no time difference between San Bruno and San Jose. The current time is 11:23:48.

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.