How far is Santa Monica, CA from San Jose, CA?
The driving distance from Santa Monica, CA to San Jose, CA is about 341.4 miles (549.4 km), with a travel time of about 05h 24m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 298.4 miles (480.3 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 10h 48m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM PDT.
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.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
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 05h 24m.
An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.
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.
Census-designated place in Kings County, California
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Monica and San Jose.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Santa Monica and San Jose.
-
1
Start on Lincoln Boulevard
2464 ft · 1 min · Lincoln Boulevard
-
2
Turn left onto Olympic Boulevard
112 m · 9 sec · Olympic Boulevard
-
3
Take the ramp straight toward I 10 East: Santa Monica Freeway, Los Angeles
1351 ft · 35 sec
-
4
Merge slight left onto Santa Monica Freeway
2.5 mi · 3 min · Santa Monica Freeway
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5
Take the exit slight right toward I 405 North: Sacramento
1.2 km · 2 min
-
6
Merge slight left onto San Diego Freeway
19 mi · 22 min · San Diego Freeway
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7
Merge slight right
1.6 mi · 2 min
-
8
Keep slight right to continue on I 5 Truck North, CA 14 Truck
1.5 mi · 2 min
-
9
Keep slight left
36.1 mi · 42 min
-
10
Keep slight left to continue on Golden State Freeway
22.3 mi · 25 min · Golden State Freeway
-
11
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
182.5 mi · 3 hr 16 min · Westside Freeway
-
12
Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 West: Gilroy, Hollister, San Jose
1038 ft · 27 sec
-
13
Continue straight
28.7 mi · 33 min
-
14
Keep slight right
11.9 mi · 17 min
-
15
Take the exit slight right toward US 101 North: San Jose
2466 ft · 1 min
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16
Merge slight left onto South Valley Freeway
19.9 mi · 23 min · South Valley Freeway
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17
Keep slight right to continue on CA 85 North: Cupertino, Mountain View
5.2 mi · 6 min
-
18
Take the exit slight right toward CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose
1 km · 51 sec
-
19
Continue on Guadalupe Parkway
4.3 mi · 5 min · Guadalupe Parkway
-
20
Continue on Guadalupe Freeway
2235 ft · 29 sec · Guadalupe Freeway
-
21
Take the exit slight right toward CA 82
1010 ft · 19 sec
-
22
Keep slight left to continue on CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian Street
2389 ft · 52 sec
-
23
Keep slight left to continue on CA 87 North
1469 ft · 36 sec
-
24
Keep slight right to continue on Julian Street
982 ft · 26 sec
-
25
Turn right onto West Saint James Street
867 ft · 28 sec · West Saint James Street
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26
Turn left onto North Market Street
127 m · 9 sec · North Market Street
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27
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · North Market Street
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Monica and San Jose.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
Westside Freeway
Keep slight right to continue on Westside Freeway
183 mi · 03h 16m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
A longer out-and-back drive
This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny leaving Santa Monica and Sunny near San Jose.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to San Jose?
The road trip is about 341.4 miles (549.4 km) and usually takes 05h 24m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Kettleman City is a useful midpoint, sitting about 170.2 miles from Santa Monica and 171.1 miles from San Jose.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 298.4 miles (480.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 43 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 8:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 6:12 AM PDT.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $69.52 one way or $139.03 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 107.1 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny around Santa Monica and Sunny near San Jose.
Stop Ideas Near Kettleman City
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 Kettleman City.
Kettleman City, California
Lemoore, California
Corcoran station
Lemoore (Naval Air Station), California
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Santa Monica and San Jose. Straight-line distance: 298.46 mi (480.33 km).
#1 Santa Monica
A city in Los Angeles County, California.
| Population | 90,024 |
| Coordinates | 34.0194500, -118.4911900 |
| Altitude | 32 |
| Country | United States |
#2 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 |
End: North Market Street (-121.89496, 37.33939)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 549 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 11h 22m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 08h 32m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 06h 49m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 05h 41m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 04h 52m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 04h 15m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $5.77 | $69.52 | $139.03 |
| Mid-grade | $6.07 | $73.10 | $146.19 |
| Premium | $6.24 | $75.23 | $150.46 |
| Diesel | $7.57 | $91.18 | $182.36 |
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 · Jun 02, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.