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Trip from Lost Hills, CA to San Jose, CA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

3h 15m

Distance

200.4 mi

323 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$46

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
3h 4m ★
6 AM
3h 16m
8 AM
3h 40m
10 AM
3h 24m
12 PM
3h 22m
3 PM
3h 25m
5 PM
3h 38m
8 PM
3h 9m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

census-designated place in Kern County, California

Lost Hills, CA

Wikimedia Commons

city and county seat of Santa Clara County, California, United States

San Jose, CA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Lost Hills, CA to San Jose, CA covers 200.4 miles and takes about 3h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on Farnsworth Avenue, Paso Robles Highway, Westside Freeway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $46.06 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

100.2 miles from Lost Hills, CA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 37m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 15m. Total distance: 200.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 15m drive with frequent turns across 200.4 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 21 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Farnsworth Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 3h 15m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Lost Hills, CA to San Jose, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Farnsworth Avenue
Paso Robles Highway
Westside Freeway
CA 152 West
US 101 North
South Valley Freeway
CA 85 North
CA 87 North

Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.

Longest stretch: Farnsworth Avenue — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Lost Hills, CA and San Jose, CA.

1

Start on the route

26 ft · 4 sec · the route
2

Turn right onto Farnsworth Avenue

112 ft · 12 sec · Farnsworth Avenue
3

Turn left onto Paso Robles Highway

2.3 mi · 3 min · Paso Robles Highway
4

Take the exit slight right

0.3 mi · 38 sec
5

Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

124 mi · 2 hr 13 min · Westside Freeway
6

Take the exit slight right toward CA 152 West: Gilroy, Hollister, San Jose

0.2 mi · 27 sec · CA 152 West: Gilroy, Hollister, San Jose
7

Continue straight

29 mi · 33 min
8

Keep slight right

12 mi · 16 min
9

Take the exit slight right toward US 101 North: San Jose

0.5 mi · 1 min · US 101 North: San Jose
10

Merge slight left onto South Valley Freeway

20 mi · 23 min · South Valley Freeway
11

Keep slight right to continue on CA 85 North: Cupertino, Mountain View

5.2 mi · 6 min · CA 85 North: Cupertino, Mountain View
12

Take the exit slight right toward CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose

0.6 mi · 51 sec · CA 87 North: Downtown San Jose
13

Continue on Guadalupe Parkway

4.3 mi · 5 min · Guadalupe Parkway
14

Continue on Guadalupe Freeway

0.4 mi · 29 sec · Guadalupe Freeway
15

Take the exit slight right toward CA 82

0.2 mi · 19 sec · CA 82
16

Keep slight left to continue on CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian Street

0.5 mi · 52 sec · CA 87 North: Santa Clara Street, Julian Street
17

Keep slight left to continue on CA 87 North

0.3 mi · 36 sec · CA 87 North
18

Keep slight right to continue on Julian Street

0.2 mi · 26 sec · Julian Street
19

Turn right onto West Saint James Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · West Saint James Street
20

Turn left onto North Market Street

417 ft · 9 sec · North Market Street
21

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 100.2 miles from Lost Hills, CA, or about 1h 37m into the drive.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 44 miles or 43m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 100.2 miles or 1h 37m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 2h 40m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near San Jose, CA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Lost Hills, CA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Lost Hills, CA

This is one driving day of about 200.4 miles and 3h 15m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Lost Hills, CA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 100.2 mi from Lost Hills, CA · 1h 37m into the drive

city in Santa Clara County, California, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Gilroy, CA

100 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Popular next leg

Gilroy, CA to San Jose, CA

32.5 mi · 40m

Pacing Suggestions

Los Banos, CA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Gilroy, CA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 100.2 miles from Lost Hills, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in San Jose, CA

The final approach into San Jose, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around San Jose, CA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$46.06 one way

$92.12 round trip

$5.84/gal 25.4 MPG avg 70 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $6.02 $47.46 $94.93
premium $6.18 $48.74 $97.47
diesel $5.61 $44.25 $88.49

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$46

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$71–$96

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 70.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 60.1 0 $21.04 $9.62
Efficient EV 50.1 0 $17.54 $8.02
EV Truck/SUV 80.2 1 $28.06 $12.83

Gas CO2

70 kg

EV CO2

23 kg (67% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Lost Hills, CA

Afternoon in Lost Hills on Thursday

Local time

1:24 PM

PDT

Current temp

50°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

San Jose, CA

Afternoon in San Jose on Thursday

Local time

1:24 PM

PDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

6 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 15m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Lost Hills, CA to San Jose, CA covers 200.4 miles and takes about 3h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Farnsworth Avenue, Paso Robles Highway, Westside Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 100.2 miles from Lost Hills, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $46.06 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 15m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Lost Hills, CA to San Jose, CA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Lost Hills, CA to San Jose, CA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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