Origin
San Jose, CA
Afternoon in San Jose on Thursday
Local time
4:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from San Jose, CA to Byron, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 12m
Distance
52.1 mi
84 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 7m
★
6 AM
1h 13m
8 AM
1h 24m
10 AM
1h 17m
12 PM
1h 15m
3 PM
1h 17m
5 PM
1h 23m
8 PM
1h 9m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Byron, CA
Tori Pezzulla❤️
Trip Overview
This 52.1-mile drive from San Jose, CA to Byron, CA takes approximately 1 hour and 12 minutes, making it a perfect one-day trip. You'll primarily navigate South Vasco Road, I-880, and I-680, with 55% of the journey on highways. Expect a fuel cost of around $12 for this journey. The drive offers a mixed driving experience as you transition between different road types. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so you won't be crossing any major geographical boundaries. This route is straightforward and manageable for a single day of travel.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 12m. Total distance: 52.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 12m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The character of this drive is a blend of highway cruising and local road navigation. With 55% of the route on highways, you'll experience stretches of faster-paced travel, interspersed with segments on South Vasco Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 14.3 miles on South Vasco Road. This means you'll have opportunities for both efficient highway driving and more varied road conditions as you progress from San Jose to Byron. The overall feel is a mixed drive, providing a dynamic experience behind the wheel.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
South Vasco Road is the longest continuous segment at about 14.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.1 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.5 miles (CA 84): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 17 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward I 880 North: Oakland
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
8
12.7 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 680 North: Sacramento
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward I 680 North: Sacramento
8
21.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
CA 84
Take the exit onto CA 84 toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21B
Toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road
8
35.7 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Brentwood, Vasco Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 55
Toward Brentwood, Vasco Road
9
35.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Vasco Road North, Brentwood
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Vasco Road North, Brentwood
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between San Jose, CA and Byron, CA, road signs point toward Sacramento, Brentwood and Vasco Road North.
Sacramento
10.9 mi in
|
~14m
|
via CA 262
Brentwood
35.7 mi in
|
~47m
Vasco Road North
35.8 mi in
|
~47m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| South Vasco Road | 14.3 mi | 20m |
| I 880 | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| I 680 | 8.5 mi | 9m |
| CA 84 | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Isabel Avenue | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Camino Diablo | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| CA 262 | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
South Vasco Road
— 14.3 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between San Jose, CA and Byron, CA.
1
Start on North Market Street
196 ft
·
8 sec
·
North Market Street
2
Continue on Coleman Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
Coleman Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 880 North: Oakland
Use the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 880
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
I 880
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight right at fork onto I 880
0.6 mi
·
41 sec
·
Nimitz Freeway
6
Take the exit onto CA 262
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
CA 262
Exit 12A
Toward Sacramento
Use the slight right lane.
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward I 680 North: Sacramento
Use the straight lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Toward I 680 North: Sacramento
Use the straight lane.
9
Merge onto I 680
8.5 mi
·
9 min
·
I 680
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit onto CA 84
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
CA 84
Exit 21B
Toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto CA 84
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Isabel Avenue
Use the straight lane.
12
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 580 East: Stockton
Use the right lane.
13
Merge onto I 580
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Exit 55
Toward Brentwood, Vasco Road
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Toward Vasco Road North, Brentwood
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Merge onto South Vasco Road
14 mi
·
20 min
·
South Vasco Road
Use the left lane.
17
Turn right onto Camino Diablo
1.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Camino Diablo
18
Turn right onto J4
158 ft
·
8 sec
·
Byron Highway
19
Turn left
17 ft
·
1 sec
20
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26 mi from San Jose, CA · 33m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26 miles from San Jose, CA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Byron, CA
The final approach into Byron, CA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.97 one way
$23.95 round trip
$5.84/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $6.02 | $12.34 | $24.68 |
| premium | $6.18 | $12.67 | $25.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.50 | $23.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.6 | 0 | $5.47 | $2.50 |
| Efficient EV | 13 | 0 | $4.56 | $2.08 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.8 | 0 | $7.29 | $3.33 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Byron, CA
Afternoon in Byron on Thursday
Local time
4:59 PM
PDT
Current temp
--
Unavailable
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Road read
1h 12m 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 San Jose, CA to Byron, CA covers 52.1 miles and takes about 1h 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are South Vasco Road, I 880, I 680. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26 miles from San Jose, CA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.97 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 52.1 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 12.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 21.5 miles (CA 84): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between San Jose, CA and Byron, CA, road signs point toward Sacramento, Brentwood and Vasco Road North.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial.
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