How to travel from Modesto, CA to San Jose, CA

How to travel from Modesto to San Jose?

Passengers who are researching transportation options to support their journey from the inland city of Modesto eastward to the bayside city of San Jose can find a number of bus and train routes that are available to them each day.

In fact, there are at least five options from which to choose Mondays through Fridays; there are up to 41 routes scheduled each week. These options can make the journey of roughly 81.8 miles (132 km) in as little 2h 32min, but some journeys may take significantly longer. The accessibility of the trip makes visiting San Jose a simple weekend trip or day-trip. Upon arrival, visitors may want to catch a professional hockey game at the SAP Center.

What is the cheapest way to get from Modesto to San Jose?

The Modesto to San Jose cost per ticket is reasonable for most transportation choices; however, the bus options tend to regularly be the most cost effective mode of travel. All of the routes from Modesto to San Jose will include one-to-two transfers, so the cheapest tickets from Modesto to San Jose might also be the quickest. When looking for the most competitively priced route options, passengers will want to be sure that they book tickets in advance so as to avoid last-minute surge prices.

Also, where possible, exercising flexible regarding travel dates and times is a useful way to secure lower costs. Notably, Amtrak buses tend to be cheaper than Greyhound buses, but those who are traveling should review their eligibility for discounts with both providers to secure travel from Modesto to San Jose the cheapest way.

What is the fastest way to travel from Modesto to San Jose?

Because of transfers, which are included on every bus and train route that makes the journey between the two cities, the duration of travel varies greatly regardless of mode of transportation. However, the quickest available travel time from Modesto to San Jose each week is generally offered by bus. Each day of the week, Mondays through Sundays, there is a route that operates the journey and runs roughly 2h 32min, usually departing from Modesto around mid-afternoon. This particular service is run by Amtrak, so the bus will depart from Modesto Station and arrive at San Jose Diridon Station.

Find the best tickets from Modesto to San Jose and book with Omio

For travelers who have defined travel plans for a Modesto-San Jose trip and need a round-trip ticket, or passengers with open-ended plans who are looking for a one-way ticket, the best way to locate the right mode of transportation is with a platform that provides users with the opportunity to assess transportation options from Modesto to San Jose side-by-side, then choose the best one.

Omio, one such platform, aggregates schedules provided by reputable transportation companies and provides those results to users organized by date and time. What’s more, the results can be provided in the user’s preferred language and can be filtered by departure time, transportation vehicle and more. Tickets purchased on Omio can be accessed via a mobile device. Travelers can visit the Omio magazine for travel tips and tricks.

Modesto Train Station. Source: Shutterstock

Trains from Modesto to San Jose

Train routes that service the trip from Modesto to San Jose vary greatly in duration. However, trains tend to offer passengers with a bit more elbow room and with more space for luggage, which can be critical for those who are traveling with multiple bags or larger pieces. That said, like the bus trips offered, all of the train routes that service the journey will include one-to-two transfers and passengers will want to carefully review those transfers prior to booking, since some of the services will include a transfer to a bus.

Only one provider—Amtrak—has trains that are scheduled for this routes. The trains will depart from Modesto Station and arrive at San Jose Diridon Station. Diridon Station is about 1.1 miles (1.7 km) from the city center, which can be reached via taxi, rideshare, or a bus or tram operated by the Santa Clara VTA.

Amtrak is the only train company that offers service between the two California cities. The Amtrak Modesto to San Jose trip will begin at Modesto Station and arrive at Diridon Station in San Jose. All of the routes that are operated by Amtrak will include at least one, but as many as two, transfers.

Some routes have trains running all legs of the journey, but others may employ the use of buses for one or more of the legs. These Amtrak train options can run as quickly as about 4h or as long as about 27h 56min, depending on transfers. Typically, there are about two daily route options Mondays through Thursdays, but service is increased Fridays through Sundays. There are more than 40 options a week.

Buses from Modesto to San Jose

Amtrak and Greyhound are the two bus companies that provide passengers with options for a trip from Modesto to San Jose. Both companies offers a regular service that is provided all seven days of the week. However, Greyhound offers half as many services as Amtrak. Typically, Amtrak routes are both cheaper and quicker than Greyhound’s; the Greyhound routes are significantly longer.

Both companies only offer options with transfers. Amtrak buses depart from Modesto Station and arrive at San Jose Diridon Station; Greyhound buses leave from the Modesto Downtown Transit Station and arrive and Diridon Station, Cahill Street. From the San Jose city center, Diridon Station is 1.1 miles (1.7 km) and the station’s Cahill Street arrivals area is 1.2 miles (1.9 km). Rideshares, taxis, as well as trams and bus operated by the Santa Clara VTA, are available for the route.

Bus travel from Modesto to San Jose with Amtrak or Greyhound

Both the Amtrak and the Greyhound Modesto to San Jose routes operate consistent schedules all seven days of the week. Greyhound provides a single daily option around midday that includes one transfer in San Francisco and runs about 9h 40min. These buses depart from Modesto’s Downtown Transit Center and arrive at San Jose’s Diridon Station at Cahill St.

Amtrak routes are available in the morning and mid-afternoon; these routes run between 2h 32min and 2h 47min with a single transfer in Stockton. Additionally, they depart from Modesto Station and arrive at San Jose’s Diridon Station. The Amtrak bus options typically cost significantly less than those offered by Greyhound.

San Jose. Source: Shutterstock

To San Jose by train/bus—travel tips

Once passengers have selected the cheapest way to get from Modesto to San Jose, the rest of their travel-planning efforts should be placed on establishing the trip itinerary. The bayside city of San Jose has a range of activities to entertain visitors. For instance, those who have a passion for professional hockey can enjoy the NHL’s San Jose Sharks play at the SAP Center during hockey season. Those who enjoy the classical arts can book tickets to go see a symphony performance at the San Jose Center for Performing Arts.

For travelers who are journeying to the city with children, there are a range of activities; fun can be found at the Children’s Discovery Museum, where there are interactive exhibits, or the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo that is home to a number of amusement park type rides, a puppet theater and animals, including lemurs. The city also boasts a range of interesting hiking trails and a number of great restaurants and bars, meaning there is something to entertain visitors with any number of interests.