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

The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Alturas, CA is about 387.7 miles (623.9 km), with a travel time of about 07h 49m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 295.5 miles (475.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 15h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 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
387.65 mi
07h 49m
Flight
295.51 mi
475.58 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Jose.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
295.51 mi
Kilometers
475.58 km
Flight Time
00h 35m

Driving Distance

Road route
387.65 mi
Kilometers
623.87 km
Drive Time
07h 49m

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 07h 49m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Alturas
Sun, May 31, 9:25 PM PDT
Return by in San Jose
Mon, Jun 1, 5:14 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Jose
2026-05-31T13:35
Arrive Alturas
Sun, May 31, 9:25 PM PDT
Route Timing
07h 49m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT
Treat this as a longer travel day
Arrive between
1:50 PM to 3:20 PM PDT

Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

Leave by
8:20 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 08h 00m at the destination.
Back in San Jose
8:00 PM PDT
Overnight-style route

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
Corning
CA

Human settlement in Tehama County, California, United States of America

From San Jose
193.9 mi
03h 54m
To Alturas
193.8 mi
03h 54m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
84°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 8 mph SW
Destination
66°F
Sunday

Sunny

Starts
Sun, May 31 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 12 mph NNE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on North Market Street

    60 m · 9 sec · North Market Street

  2. 2

    Continue on Coleman Avenue

    1.4 mi · 3 min · Coleman Avenue

  3. 3

    Take the ramp right toward I 880 North: Oakland

    1675 ft · 43 sec

  4. 4

    Merge slight left

    8.5 mi · 10 min

  5. 5

    Keep slight right to continue on Nimitz Freeway

    3139 ft · 41 sec · Nimitz Freeway

  6. 6

    Take the exit slight right toward Sacramento

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit straight toward I 680 North: Sacramento

    1012 ft · 25 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on I 680 North: Sacramento

    1618 ft · 41 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left

    37.3 mi · 43 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    6 mi · 7 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    74 m · 3 sec · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

    1.8 mi · 2 min · Senator Daniel E Boatwright Highway

  13. 13

    Keep slight right to continue on Benicia-Martinez Bridge

    2053 ft · 27 sec · Benicia-Martinez Bridge

  14. 14

    Continue on Luther E Gibson Freeway

    12 mi · 14 min · Luther E Gibson Freeway

  15. 15

    Keep slight right to continue on I 80 East, CA 12 East: Fairfield, Sacramento

    2286 ft · 56 sec

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    1.7 mi · 2 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

    13.1 mi · 15 min · Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway

  18. 18

    Take the exit slight right toward I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    803 ft · 20 sec

  19. 19

    Keep slight left to continue on I 505 North: Winters, Redding

    1 km · 1 min

  20. 20

    Continue straight

    159.9 mi · 2 hr 52 min

  21. 21

    Take the exit slight right toward Burney

    1162 ft · 20 sec

  22. 22

    Keep slight right

    719 ft · 18 sec

  23. 23

    Turn straight onto Highway 299

    2.8 mi · 3 min · Highway 299

  24. 24

    Continue on State Highway 299

    1 km · 54 sec · State Highway 299

  25. 25

    Continue on East Stillwater Way

    1077 ft · 17 sec · East Stillwater Way

  26. 26

    Continue on Highway 299

    19.1 mi · 25 min · Highway 299

  27. 27

    Turn left

    117.6 mi · 2 hr 43 min

  28. 28

    Turn right onto North Main Street

    2612 ft · 2 min · North Main Street

  29. 29

    Turn right onto West 4th Street

    85 m · 13 sec · West 4th Street

  30. 30

    Turn left onto North Howard Street

    23 m · 3 sec · North Howard Street

  31. 31

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Howard Street

Car Route Details

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

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Long-distance drive

This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.

Directions
31 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
8
3 merges, 5 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 505 North
161 mi · 41%
I 680 North
37.8 mi · 10%
Highway 299
21.9 mi · 6%
Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway
14.8 mi · 4%
Luther E Gibson Freeway
12 mi · 3%
I 880 North
8.86 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 505 North

Continue straight

160 mi · 02h 52m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

Better with a longer stop

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

Drive Time
07h 49m
Overnight route
Same-Day Return
15h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+92.2 mi
295.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Corning
03h 54m from San Jose
Leave By
8:20 PM PDT
Overnight-style route
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Jose and Sunny near Alturas.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 387.7 miles (623.9 km) and usually takes 07h 49m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Corning is a useful midpoint, sitting about 193.9 miles from San Jose and 193.8 miles from Alturas.

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

The direct path is about 295.5 miles (475.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 92.2 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM PDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $78.92 one way or $157.84 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 121.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Corning

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

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

BUS

Corning, California

2 mi away
1081 Solano Street
BUS

Red Bluff, California

29 mi away
228 S. Main Street
RAIL

Chico station

36 mi away
West 5th and Orange Streets
BUS

Oroville, California

69 mi away
Hwy 70 and Grand Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Alturas. Straight-line distance: 295.51 mi (475.58 km).

San Jose

#1 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
Alturas

#2 Alturas

City in California, USA

Population2,542
Coordinates41.4871400, -120.5434900
Altitude1332
CountryUnited States
Start: San Jose (-121.89496, 37.33939)
End: Alturas (-120.54349, 41.48714)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 624 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)12h 54m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)09h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)07h 45m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)06h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)05h 32m
80 mph (129 km/h)04h 50m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
13.68 gal
51.78 L · about $78.92
Round trip
$157.84
27.36 gal · 103.56 L
Estimated CO2
121.6 kg one way
Round trip: 243.1 kg / 536 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $78.92 $157.84
Mid-grade $6.07 $82.98 $165.97
Premium $6.24 $85.40 $170.81
Diesel $7.57 $103.52 $207.03

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 · May 31, 2026

There is no time difference between San Jose and Alturas. The current time is 13:35:44.

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.