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

The driving distance from San Jose, CA to Sunnyvale, CA is about 11.4 miles (18.3 km), with a travel time of about 00h 17m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 8 miles (12.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 34m 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
11.39 mi
00h 17m
Flight
8.03 mi
12.92 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from San Jose.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
8.03 mi
Kilometers
12.92 km
Flight Time

Driving Distance

Road route
11.39 mi
Kilometers
18.33 km
Drive Time
00h 17m

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 17m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Sunnyvale
Fri, May 22, 12:53 PM PDT
Return by in San Jose
Fri, May 22, 1:10 PM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave San Jose
2026-05-22T12:36
Arrive Sunnyvale
Fri, May 22, 12:53 PM PDT
Route Timing
00h 17m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM PDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:17 AM to 7:17 PM PDT

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

Leave by
7:56 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

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
Santa Clara
CA

The third most populous city in Santa Clara County, California.

From San Jose
5.7 mi
00h 08m
To Sunnyvale
5.7 mi
00h 08m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
86°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
2 to 9 mph WSW
Destination
76°F
Friday

Sunny

Starts
Fri, May 22 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
5 to 12 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  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

    5.2 mi · 6 min · Bayshore Freeway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight right toward Mathilda Avenue

    1038 ft · 27 sec

  11. 11

    Turn left onto North Mathilda Avenue

    2.2 mi · 5 min · North Mathilda Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto West El Camino Real

    88 m · 16 sec · West El Camino Real

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · West El Camino Real

Car Route Details

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

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
13 steps
5 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
4
2 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
114 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Bayshore Freeway
5.18 mi · 45%
Guadalupe Freeway
2.77 mi · 24%
North Mathilda Avenue
2.2 mi · 19%
US 101 North
0.51 mi · 4%
CA 87 North
0.23 mi · 2%
Mathilda Avenue
0.2 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

Bayshore Freeway

Merge slight left onto Bayshore Freeway

5.18 mi · 00h 06m

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 17m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.4 mi
8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Santa Clara
00h 08m from San Jose
Leave By
7:56 PM PDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving San Jose and Sunny near Sunnyvale.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 11.4 miles (18.3 km) and usually takes 00h 17m 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?

Santa Clara is a useful midpoint, sitting about 5.7 miles from San Jose and 5.7 miles from Sunnyvale.

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

The direct path is about 8 miles (12.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.4 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 7:56 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.31 one way or $4.62 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 3.6 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

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

Stop Ideas Near Santa Clara

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

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

BUS

Santa Clara station

2 mi away
1001 Railroad Ave.
RAIL

Santa Clara – Great America station

3 mi away
5099 Stars & Stripes Dr.
RAIL

San Jose Diridon station

5 mi away
65 Cahill Street
BUS

Fremont (San Joaquin Buses), California

21 mi away
999 Upper Mission Blvd

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between San Jose and Sunnyvale. Straight-line distance: 8.03 mi (12.92 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
Sunnyvale

#2 Sunnyvale

The sixth most populous city in Santa Clara County, California.

Population151,746
Coordinates37.3688300, -122.0363500
Altitude39
CountryUnited States
Start: San Jose (-121.89496, 37.33939)
End: Sunnyvale (-122.03635, 37.36883)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 18 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 22m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 17m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 13m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 11m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 09m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 08m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.4 gal
1.52 L · about $2.31
Round trip
$4.62
0.8 gal · 3.04 L
Estimated CO2
3.6 kg one way
Round trip: 7.1 kg / 16 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $2.31 $4.62
Mid-grade $6.07 $2.43 $4.85
Premium $6.24 $2.50 $4.99
Diesel $7.57 $3.03 $6.05

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 22, 2026

There is no time difference between San Jose and Sunnyvale. The current time is 12:36:07.

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.