SJC · Layover Guide
San Jose
Stop in San Jose.
Best layover: 3–24h
LayoverScore™
Base city score. Your route score varies by savings and timing.
Exit realism
Comfortable window
Enough room in San Jose for a real stop. Keep the buffer at the end anyway.
Landside playbook
If time slips
- Drop the last stop. Go straight to the train, taxi rank, or ride pickup you already chose.
- Add 15 minutes to map ETAs for the return leg at rush hour.
- One ticket for the whole trip protects you when the inbound is late. Separate tickets do not.
Worth knowing
- Do not stack three stops. One solid block in the city beats a rushed loop.
- Do not treat one map time as gospel for immigration lines. Pad on your first pass through this hub.
Planning a stop in San Jose?
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Places to stay
Search hotelsLayoverScore™ breakdown
Score 63 · Discover 49 · Ease 27
Why San Jose scores 63
Getting there
VTA Light Rail (Blue/Green Line) $2.5 · Uber/Lyft $18
min to center
train- 01VTA Light Rail (45 min to downtown)
- 02Uber/Lyft (15 min to downtown)
- 03Airport Flyer Bus to Caltrain (30 min)
- 01Explore the Winchester Mystery House's bizarre architecture
- 02Visit the Tech Interactive science museum in downtown
- 03Stroll through Santana Row's upscale shops and restaurants
- 04Sample Vietnamese cuisine on Story Road in Little Saigon
- 05Walk the Japanese Friendship Garden in Kelley Park
Experiences in San Jose
Timed tours and tickets for San Jose are listed on our partner site.
Open listingsOpens in a new tab.
Need a room for your layover? Browse hotels near the airport.
Where to stay →Drop your luggage. Don't drag it around the city.
Bounce (downtown locations)
Various downtown San Jose spots
$6/bag
0 min walk
DoubleTree by Hilton San Jose
Gateway Place, near airport
$89/day
5 min walk
From the terminal to the good part.
VTA Light Rail (Blue/Green Line)
Metro/Airport Station to Convention Center
Runs every 15 min, connects to downtown and Santa Clara
45 min
$2.50
Uber/Lyft
To downtown San Jose
Pickup at Terminal A & B ground transportation
15 min
$18.00
Airport Flyer Bus (Route 10)
For connections to San Francisco
Connects to Santa Clara Caltrain station
20 min
$2.50
No city pass available for this city.
Getting there
Get an Uber from the airportAt the airport
- 01Local craft beer at Gordon Biersch
- 02Tech-themed art installations throughout terminals
- 03Outdoor terrace seating areas post-security
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