Drive or Fly: San Jose, CA to Green Valley, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for SJC–CCR. At 74 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 31m

Distance

74.1 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

30 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 47m

8m in the air

Air Distance

65 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Jose, CA → SJC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CCR → Green Valley, CA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

San Jose, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Green Valley, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SJC and CCR. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 18m

2h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Capitol Corridor

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Jose, CA → San Jose 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 138m

Arrival 10m

Suisun-Fairfield → Green Valley, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From San Jose 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Suisun-Fairfield 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~42/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 31m	2h 47m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	30 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

74.1 mi 1h 31m

via I 680, I 880

Alternative (+6 min)

79.2 mi 1h 37m

via I 880, I 80, I 80; I 580

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from San Jose, CA to Green Valley, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.