How far is San Jose, CA from Los Altos Hills, CA?

The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Los Altos Hills, CA is about 17.1 miles (27.5 km), with a travel time of about 00h 26m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.6 miles (21.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 53m 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
17.11 mi
00h 26m
Flight
13.61 mi
21.9 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Jose.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.61 mi
Kilometers
21.9 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
17.11 mi
Kilometers
27.54 km
Drive Time
00h 26m

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 26m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Los Altos Hills
Sat, Apr 18, 11:07 PM PDT
Return by in San Jose
Sat, Apr 18, 11:33 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Jose
2026-04-18T22:40
Arrive Los Altos Hills
Sat, Apr 18, 11:07 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 26m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:27 AM to 7:27 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:36 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in San Jose
10:00 PM PDT
Flexible departure

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
Cupertino
CA

The most populous city in Santa Clara County, California.

From San Jose
8.6 mi
00h 13m
To Los Altos Hills
8.6 mi
00h 13m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 7 mph W
Destination
70°F
Saturday

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Apr 18 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 7 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between San Jose and Los Altos Hills.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Jose and Los Altos Hills.

  1. 1

    Start on North Market Street

    33 m · 6 sec · North Market Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Devine Street

    84 m · 18 sec · Devine Street

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North San Pedro Street

    93 m · 18 sec · North San Pedro Street

  4. 4

    Turn right onto West Saint James Street

    602 ft · 16 sec · West Saint James Street

  5. 5

    Continue on West Julian Street

    109 m · 7 sec · West Julian Street

  6. 6

    Take the ramp slight right toward CA 87 South

    1213 ft · 32 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Guadalupe Freeway

    2588 ft · 34 sec · Guadalupe Freeway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward I 280 South, I 280 North: San Francisco

    987 ft · 24 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight right to continue on I 280 North: San Francisco

    2182 ft · 53 sec

  10. 10

    Merge slight left onto Sinclair Freeway

    9.7 mi · 11 min · Sinclair Freeway

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward Foothill Expressway, Grant Road

    1163 ft · 25 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on G5: Foothill Expressway, Grant Road

    72 m · 6 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Foothill Expressway

    4.3 mi · 8 min · Foothill Expressway

  14. 14

    Turn left onto West Edith Avenue

    1106 ft · 36 sec · West Edith Avenue

  15. 15

    At the end of the road, turn right onto West Fremont Road

    1.3 km · 3 min · West Fremont Road

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Concepcion Road

    558 ft · 21 sec · Concepcion Road

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Alto Verde Lane

    559 ft · 25 sec · Alto Verde Lane

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Alto Verde Lane

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between San Jose and Los Altos Hills.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
18 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
6
3 merges, 3 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
105.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Sinclair Freeway
9.7 mi · 57%
Foothill Expressway
4.53 mi · 26%
West Fremont Road
0.78 mi · 5%
Guadalupe Freeway
0.49 mi · 3%
I 280 North
0.41 mi · 2%
CA 87 South
0.23 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Sinclair Freeway

Merge slight left onto Sinclair Freeway

9.7 mi · 00h 11m

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 26m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 54m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.5 mi
13.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cupertino
00h 13m from San Jose
Leave By
7:36 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Jose and Sunny near Los Altos Hills.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Jose to Los Altos Hills?

The road trip is about 17.1 miles (27.5 km) and usually takes 00h 26m 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?

Cupertino is a useful midpoint, sitting about 8.6 miles from San Jose and 8.6 miles from Los Altos Hills.

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

The direct path is about 13.6 miles (21.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.5 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 7:36 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.46 one way or $6.92 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 5.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Jose and Sunny near Los Altos Hills.

Stop Ideas Near Cupertino

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

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

BUS

Santa Clara station

9 mi away
1001 Railroad Ave.
RAIL

Santa Clara – Great America station

10 mi away
5099 Stars & Stripes Dr.
RAIL

San Jose Diridon station

12 mi away
65 Cahill Street
RAIL

Fremont station

26 mi away
37260 Fremont Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Los Altos Hills. Straight-line distance: 13.61 mi (21.9 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
Los Altos Hills

#2 Los Altos Hills

City in Santa Clara County, California, United States

Population8,400
Coordinates37.3796600, -122.1374600
Altitude89
CountryUnited States
Start: San Jose (-121.89496, 37.33939)
End: Los Altos Hills (-122.13746, 37.37966)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 28 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 34m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 25m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 20m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 17m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 14m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 12m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.6 gal
2.29 L · about $3.46
Round trip
$6.92
1.2 gal · 4.58 L
Estimated CO2
5.3 kg one way
Round trip: 10.7 kg / 24 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $3.46 $6.92
Mid-grade $6.07 $3.64 $7.28
Premium $6.24 $3.75 $7.49
Diesel $7.57 $4.54 $9.08

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between San Jose and Los Altos Hills. The current time is 22:40:19.

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.