Drive or Fly: San Jose, CA to La Selva Beach, 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–MRY. At 42 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

57m

Distance

42 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 49m

3m in the air

Air Distance

28 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Jose, CA → SJC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MRY → La Selva Beach, CA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

La Selva Beach, CA MRY — Monterey Regional Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SJC and MRY. 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

2h 11m

55m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Jose, CA → San Jose 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Gilroy → La Selva Beach, CA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From San Jose 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Gilroy 17 mi, ~26m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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

− Limited schedule — about 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	57m	2h 49m	2h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 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.

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