How far is San Jose, CA from Portola Valley, CA?
The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Portola Valley, CA is about 26.1 miles (42 km), with a travel time of about 00h 34m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 19 miles (30.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 09m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT.
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.
This is an easy same-day return drive.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 34m.
This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.
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.
Unincorporated community in California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Partly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between San Jose and Portola Valley.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose and Portola Valley.
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1
Start on North Market Street
33 m · 6 sec · North Market Street
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2
Turn right onto Devine Street
84 m · 18 sec · Devine Street
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3
Turn left onto North San Pedro Street
93 m · 18 sec · North San Pedro Street
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4
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
602 ft · 16 sec · West Saint James Street
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5
Continue on West Julian Street
109 m · 7 sec · West Julian Street
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6
Take the ramp slight right toward CA 87 South
1213 ft · 32 sec
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7
Merge slight left onto Guadalupe Freeway
2588 ft · 34 sec · Guadalupe Freeway
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8
Take the exit slight right toward I 280 South, I 280 North: San Francisco
987 ft · 24 sec
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9
Keep slight right to continue on I 280 North: San Francisco
2182 ft · 53 sec
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10
Merge slight left onto Sinclair Freeway
20.2 mi · 23 min · Sinclair Freeway
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11
Take the exit slight right toward Sand Hill Road
842 ft · 20 sec
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12
Keep slight right to continue on Sand Hill Road East, Menlo Park, Atherton, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
832 ft · 22 sec
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13
Continue on Sand Hill Road
46 m · 11 sec · Sand Hill Road
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14
Continue on Sand Hill Road
1515 ft · 32 sec · Sand Hill Road
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15
Continue on Sand Hill Road
2.1 mi · 4 min · Sand Hill Road
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16
Continue on Portola Road
1.5 mi · 3 min · Portola Road
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17
Turn right onto Wayside Road
47 m · 7 sec · Wayside Road
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18
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Wayside Road
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between San Jose and Portola Valley.
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.
Sinclair Freeway
Merge slight left onto Sinclair Freeway
20.2 mi · 00h 23m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
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.
Sunny leaving San Jose and Partly Sunny near Portola Valley.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from San Jose to Portola Valley?
The road trip is about 26.1 miles (42 km) and usually takes 00h 34m 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?
Loyola is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13 miles from San Jose and 13 miles from Portola Valley.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 19 miles (30.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 7.1 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 7:20 PM PDT.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.31 one way or $10.61 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.2 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Sunny around San Jose and Partly Sunny near Portola Valley.
Stop Ideas Near Loyola
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Loyola.
Santa Clara – Great America station
Santa Clara station
San Jose Diridon station
Fremont station
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Portola Valley. Straight-line distance: 18.94 mi (30.48 km).
#1 San Jose
The tenth most populous city in the United States and the center of the San Jose metropolitan area.
| Population | 1,013,616 |
| Coordinates | 37.3393900, -121.8949600 |
| Altitude | 26 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Portola Valley
Town in California
| Population | 4,528 |
| Coordinates | 37.3841100, -122.2352400 |
| Altitude | 140 |
| Country | United States |
End: Portola Valley (-122.23524, 37.38411)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 42 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 00h 52m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 00h 39m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 00h 31m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 00h 26m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 00h 22m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 00h 19m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $5.31 | $10.61 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $5.58 | $11.16 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $5.74 | $11.49 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $6.96 | $13.92 |
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
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.