Origin
Tracy, CA
Afternoon in Tracy on Thursday
Local time
2:39 PM
PDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tracy, CA to San Jose, CA
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 7m
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 2m
★
6 AM
1h 8m
8 AM
1h 18m
10 AM
1h 11m
12 PM
1h 10m
3 PM
1h 12m
5 PM
1h 18m
8 PM
1h 4m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tracy, CA
Wikimedia Commons
San Jose, CA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Spanning 56.5 miles between Tracy and San Jose, this drive typically takes about 1 hour and 1 minute to complete. Since it is a short trip within the Pacific Coast region, it is best suited as a simple day excursion rather than an overnight journey. You should budget approximately $8 for fuel to cover the distance. Navigating this route involves a mix of local roads including Isabel Avenue, CA 84, and Arthur H. It serves as a practical, direct connection between these two California hubs, making it an efficient choice if you need to move between the Central Valley and the Bay Area without extra fluff.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 7m. Total distance: 52.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (57%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that feels quite different from a standard interstate cruise. Because the highway share is 0%, you won't be spending time on monotonous, high-speed freeways; instead, you'll be navigating surface roads for the entirety of the 1 hour and 1 minute trip. There is no long-distance highway stretch here, as the longest segment on Arthur H measures 0 miles. The route requires your full attention as you transition through the local road network, offering a more hands-on driving experience than a typical highway commute.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 16 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway is the longest continuous segment at about 12.9 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
809 ft
17 ft
Total Climb
933 ft
Total Descent
902 ft
Highest Point
809 ft
~14.9 mi in
Elevation Range
792 ft
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 21.1 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 12 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 21.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
21.1 mi into trip
|
~25m in
Take the exit toward CA 84: Isabel Avenue, Portola Avenue
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 51
Toward CA 84: Isabel Avenue, Portola Avenue
6
31.3 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 680 South: Fremont, San Jose
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 680 South: Fremont, San Jose
7
40.1 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Take the exit toward CA 262
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12
Toward CA 262
9
40.2 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Keep slight right at fork toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic University, Warm Springs District
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic Univers...
8
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward Downtown, North First Street
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 4A
Toward Downtown, North First Street
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Tracy, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Warm Springs District along the way.
Warm Springs District
40.2 mi in
|
~50m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway | 12.9 mi | 14m |
| I 680 | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| Nimitz Freeway | 8.3 mi | 9m |
| West 11th Street | 8.1 mi | 10m |
| Vallecitos Road | 5.2 mi | 7m |
| Isabel Avenue | 4.7 mi | 6m |
| North 1st Street | 1.5 mi | 3m |
| Mission Boulevard | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
— 12.9 mi, about 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tracy, CA and San Jose, CA.
1
Start on I 205 Bus
8.1 mi
·
10 min
·
West 11th Street
2
Continue on I 580
13 mi
·
14 min
·
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
Exit 51
Toward CA 84: Isabel Avenue, Portola Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
Turn left onto CA 84
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Isabel Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Continue on CA 84
5.2 mi
·
7 min
·
Vallecitos Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
55 sec
Toward I 680 South: Fremont, San Jose
7
Merge onto I 680
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
I 680
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 12
Toward CA 262
Use the slight right lane.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward CA 262: Northwestern Polytechnic University, Warm Springs District
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto CA 262
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mission Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 880
8.3 mi
·
9 min
·
Nimitz Freeway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Exit 4A
Toward Downtown, North First Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Turn left onto North 1st Street
1.5 mi
·
3 min
·
North 1st Street
Use the left / uturn lanes.
14
Turn right onto West Julian Street
494 ft
·
17 sec
·
West Julian Street
15
Turn left onto North Market Street
196 ft
·
6 sec
·
North Market Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Market Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.1 mi from Tracy, CA · 32m 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 26.1 miles from Tracy, 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.
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
San Jose, CA
Afternoon in San Jose on Thursday
Local time
2:39 PM
PDT
Current temp
44°F
Areas Of Fog
SSE 2 mph
21% chance
Live forecast
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 12:17AM PDT until April 13 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Los Angeles/Oxnard CA
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
25 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
1h 7m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Tracy, CA to San Jose, CA covers 52.1 miles and takes about 1h 7m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway, I 680, Nimitz Freeway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.1 miles from Tracy, 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 12 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 21.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 40.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tracy, CA to San Jose, CA, road signs begin pointing toward Warm Springs District along the way.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 17 ft to 809 ft elevation with about 933 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial.
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