How far is San Jose, CA from Redwood City, CA?

The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Redwood City, CA is about 23.1 miles (37.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 30m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 21.3 miles (34.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 00m 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
23.12 mi
00h 30m
Flight
21.28 mi
34.24 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Jose.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
21.28 mi
Kilometers
34.24 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.12 mi
Kilometers
37.21 km
Drive Time
00h 30m

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 30m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Redwood City
Sat, Apr 18, 11:10 PM PDT
Return by in San Jose
Sat, Apr 18, 11:41 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 Redwood City
Sat, Apr 18, 11:10 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 30m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:30 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
Mountain View
CA

Community in Contra Costa County, California

From San Jose
11.6 mi
00h 15m
To Redwood City
11.6 mi
00h 15m

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
71°F
Saturday

Sunny

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

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between San Jose and Redwood City.

  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 · 18 sec · West Saint James Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp right toward CA 87 North

    1229 ft · 32 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Guadalupe Freeway

    2.8 mi · 3 min · Guadalupe Freeway

  7. 7

    Keep slight left to continue on US 101 North: San Francisco

    1032 ft · 25 sec

  8. 8

    Keep slight left to continue on US 101 North: San Francisco

    1665 ft · 43 sec

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

    7.5 mi · 9 min · Bayshore Freeway

  10. 10

    Keep slight left

    9.7 mi · 11 min

  11. 11

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 84 West

    903 ft · 22 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on CA 84 West: Woodside Road

    1824 ft · 44 sec

  13. 13

    Merge slight left onto Woodside Road

    52 m · 8 sec · Woodside Road

  14. 14

    Turn right onto Veterans Boulevard

    1.5 km · 2 min · Veterans Boulevard

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Brewster Avenue

    2800 ft · 1 min · Brewster Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn left

    146 m · 21 sec

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
17 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
3 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
73.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bayshore Freeway
17.2 mi · 75%
Guadalupe Freeway
2.77 mi · 12%
Veterans Boulevard
0.96 mi · 4%
Brewster Avenue
0.53 mi · 2%
CA 84 West
0.52 mi · 2%
US 101 North
0.51 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Bayshore Freeway

Keep slight left

9.72 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 30m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+1.8 mi
21.3 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Mountain View
00h 15m from San Jose
Leave By
7:30 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Jose and Sunny near Redwood City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from San Jose to Redwood City?

The road trip is about 23.1 miles (37.2 km) and usually takes 00h 30m 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?

Mountain View is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.6 miles from San Jose and 11.6 miles from Redwood City.

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

The direct path is about 21.3 miles (34.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 1.8 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 7:30 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.73 one way or $9.46 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Mountain View

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

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

RAIL

Santa Clara – Great America station

12 mi away
5099 Stars & Stripes Dr.
BUS

Santa Clara station

13 mi away
1001 Railroad Ave.
RAIL

San Jose Diridon station

17 mi away
65 Cahill Street
RAIL

Fremont station

20 mi away
37260 Fremont Blvd.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Redwood City. Straight-line distance: 21.28 mi (34.24 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
Redwood City

#2 Redwood City

A city in San Mateo County, California.

Population85,925
Coordinates37.4852200, -122.2363500
Altitude6
CountryUnited States
Start: San Jose (-121.89496, 37.33939)
End: Redwood City (-122.23635, 37.48522)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 37 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 46m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.82 gal
3.09 L · about $4.73
Round trip
$9.46
1.64 gal · 6.18 L
Estimated CO2
7.3 kg one way
Round trip: 14.6 kg / 32 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $4.73 $9.46
Mid-grade $6.07 $4.97 $9.95
Premium $6.24 $5.12 $10.24
Diesel $7.57 $6.20 $12.41

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 Redwood City. The current time is 22:40:18.

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.