Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
39.9 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Alameda, CA
Stephen Leonardi
The drive from San Jose, CA to Alameda, CA covers 39.9 miles and takes about 51m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 880, Nimitz Freeway, Coleman Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 23.2 miles on I 880. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 39.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 51m highway drive covering 39.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. The longest continuous stretch is about 23.2 miles on I 880.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 880 and Nimitz Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 39.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 10.3 miles (I 880 / Nimitz Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 22.9 miles (I 880): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Take the ramp toward I 880 North: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880 / Nimitz Freeway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward 29th Avenue, Fruitvale Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn sharp left onto 23rd Avenue
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 880 | 23.2 mi | 26m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 12.6 mi | 14m |
| Coleman Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Park Street Bridge | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Alameda Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Central Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 29th Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 23rd Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Alameda, CA.
Start on North Market Street
Continue on Coleman Avenue
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 880
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880
Keep slight left at fork onto I 880
Take the exit
At end of road, turn left onto 29th Avenue
Turn right onto Ford Street
Turn sharp left onto 23rd Avenue
Continue on Park Street Bridge
Turn right onto Central Avenue
Turn left onto Willow Street
Turn right onto Alameda Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 19.9 mi from San Jose, CA · 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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.
A short stop after about 39.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 19.9 miles from San Jose, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Alameda, CA if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$9.17 one way
$18.34 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $9.45 | $18.90 |
| premium | $6.18 | $9.70 | $19.41 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.81 | $17.62 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| Efficient EV | 10 | 0 | $3.49 | $1.60 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16 | 0 | $5.59 | $2.55 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in San Jose on Friday
Local time
5:21 AM
PDT
Current temp
43°F
Clear
Destination
Late night in Alameda on Friday
Local time
5:21 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
67°F
Union City, CA
20 mi in
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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