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San Jose, CA

Palo Alto, CA → San Jose, CA · Local move

Movers from Palo Alto to San Jose

About 23 road miles heading east. Typical two-bedroom cost $1,400–$2,080, delivery in 0–1 days, 233 carriers on the Palo Alto side and 484 in San Jose.

  • 23 miroad distance
  • 43 mindriving time
  • 0–1 daysdelivery window
  • $1,400–$2,0802-bedroom estimate
Photo: Payton Chung · CC BY 2.0
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Route summary

Road distance
≈ 23 miles (19 straight-line)
Drive time
43 min
Delivery window
0–1 days
Move type
In-state (California)
Movers at origin
233 (62 interstate)
Movers at destination
484 (125 interstate)

Reverse: San Jose → Palo Alto

The route from Palo Alto, CA to San Jose, CA covers roughly 23 miles by road, a east-bound trip that falls into the local move category for pricing purposes.

Because the two cities are close together, most companies quote this move by the hour: a crew of two to four movers plus a truck, with the drive of about 43 min counted as billable travel time. A typical two-bedroom household lands between $1,400 and $2,080, before packing or storage.

On the Palo Alto side there are 233 household-goods carriers registered with the FMCSA in and around the city (62 of them authorized for interstate work), and 484 around San Jose (125 interstate). For an in-state move you can book from either end; movers near the origin handle loading and are usually the better first call, while a destination-side company can be useful if you need storage or delivery-day help in San Jose.

Palo Alto has a population of about 67,000 and San Jose about 989,814. San Jose is the denser city (5,683 people per square mile versus 2,851 in Palo Alto), which often means shuttle trucks, parking restrictions or building move-in windows on delivery day.

Cost of moving from Palo Alto to San Jose

Full-service estimate for 23 miles, by home size
Home sizeCrewHoursLowTypicalHigh
Studio 2 movers3–5 h $730 $890 $1,090
1 Bedroom 2 movers4–6 h $870 $1,060 $1,290
2 Bedrooms 3 movers5–8 h $1,400 $1,710 $2,080
3 Bedrooms 4 movers7–10 h $2,190 $2,670 $3,250
4+ Bedrooms 5 movers9–13 h $3,290 $4,020 $4,900

Rental truck (DIY)

$170–$240

One-way truck for the distance, mileage and fuel included; you load and drive.

Portable container

$1,040–$1,530

Container delivered, you load, company transports; transit is slower than a mover.

Full-service mover

$1,400–$2,080

Two-bedroom reference; crew loads, hauls and unloads.

Moving cost calculator

Distance is pre-filled for Palo Alto, CA → San Jose, CA. Adjust the other options to see your range.

—to—

Typical full-service range.

Estimates use market baselines described on the cost guide; your quotes will vary by inventory, access and date.

Moving companies for this route

Near Palo Alto (origin)

Piranha Ops LLC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3389468
MC
1089109
Based in
San Jose, CA 95126 (13 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
49 trucks, 100 drivers
USDOT registered
2020
Call (510) 798-4604 Route Verify on FMCSA

Kilam INC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3251388
MC
1023623
Based in
Fremont, CA 94538 (13 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
30 trucks, 68 drivers
USDOT registered
2019
Call (415) 740-2340 Route Verify on FMCSA

Crown Worldwide Moving And Storage LLC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory
USDOT
2970
MC
138953
Based in
Union City, CA 94587 (14 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
25 trucks, 18 drivers
USDOT registered
1974
Call (510) 614-4105 Route Verify on FMCSA

Lucid USA INC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3488549
MC
1147342
Based in
Newark, CA 94560 (10 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
22 trucks, 38 drivers
USDOT registered
2020
Call (341) 236-1056 Route Verify on FMCSA

Managed Facility Solutions

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Managed Facilities Solutions LLC

USDOT
2974713
MC
10809
Based in
San Jose, CA 95131 (14 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
22 trucks, 43 drivers
USDOT registered
2017
Call (408) 920-0110 Route Verify on FMCSA

Careful Movers

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Careful Movers INC

USDOT
1464935
MC
553377
Based in
Union City, CA 94587 (14 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
14 trucks, 14 drivers
USDOT registered
2006
Call (650) 595-8400 Route Verify on FMCSA

Arjak&agnes Sons Trucking

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3247717
MC
1021407
Based in
Santa Clara, CA 95050 (11 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
7 trucks, 6 drivers
USDOT registered
2019
Call (510) 359-9498 Route Verify on FMCSA

Mav Moving LLC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
4340425
MC
77787146
Based in
Newark, CA 94560 (10 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
6 trucks, 3 drivers
USDOT registered
2024
Call (510) 456-5745 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 233 movers in Palo Alto

Near San Jose (destination)

Legacy Transportation Services INC

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory
USDOT
2043462
MC
716505
Based in
San Jose, CA 95122 (3 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
67 trucks, 60 drivers
USDOT registered
2010
Call (408) 213-6326 Route Verify on FMCSA

Piranha Ops LLC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3389468
MC
1089109
Based in
San Jose, CA 95126 (6 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
49 trucks, 100 drivers
USDOT registered
2020
Call (510) 798-4604 Route Verify on FMCSA

Crew Point Logistics LLC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3462710
MC
96075878
Based in
San Jose, CA 95122 (3 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
44 trucks, 105 drivers
USDOT registered
2020
Call (408) 601-0416 Route Verify on FMCSA

Eloka Logistics LLC

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3455711
MC
1126373
Based in
San Jose, CA 95125 (4 mi from center)
Service
Local moves
Fleet
25 trucks, 70 drivers
USDOT registered
2020
Call (408) 500-8852 Route Verify on FMCSA

Managed Facility Solutions

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Managed Facilities Solutions LLC

USDOT
2974713
MC
10809
Based in
San Jose, CA 95131 (8 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
22 trucks, 43 drivers
USDOT registered
2017
Call (408) 920-0110 Route Verify on FMCSA

Trident Logistics

Licensed interstate Safety: Satisfactory

Legal name: Shefali Toor

USDOT
2641089
MC
920395
Based in
San Jose, CA 95133 (6 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
19 trucks, 19 drivers
USDOT registered
2015
Call (408) 455-0526 Route Verify on FMCSA

Advantage Moving And Storage

Licensed interstate

Legal name: Amber Transportation Group INC

USDOT
1038505
MC
426960
Based in
Milpitas, CA 95035 (11 mi from center)
Service
Local & long-distance
Fleet
8 trucks, 11 drivers
USDOT registered
2002
Call (408) 935-9115 Route Verify on FMCSA

Arjak&agnes Sons Trucking

Licensed interstate
USDOT
3247717
MC
1021407
Based in
Santa Clara, CA 95050 (9 mi from center)
Service
Long-distance
Fleet
7 trucks, 6 drivers
USDOT registered
2019
Call (510) 359-9498 Route Verify on FMCSA

All 484 movers in San Jose

Related routes

Other destinations from Palo Alto

Other origins to San Jose

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to move from Palo Alto to San Jose?

Typical full-service estimates for this route are $730 to $1,090 for a studio, $870 to $1,290 for a one-bedroom, $1,400 to $2,080 for a two-bedroom, $2,190 to $3,250 for a three-bedroom and $3,290 to $4,900 for four or more bedrooms. Packing, storage, stairs and specialty items add to these figures.

How far is San Jose from Palo Alto?

About 23 road miles (19 miles in a straight line). Driving without overnight stops takes roughly 43 min.

How long will the movers take to deliver?

For a move this short, loading and delivery normally happen on the same day. Most crews finish a two-bedroom home in 5 to 8 hours plus the drive.

Do I need an interstate-licensed mover for an in-state move?

No. Because both Palo Alto and San Jose are in California, this is an intrastate move regulated by the state rather than the FMCSA. Still, choosing a carrier with an active USDOT number is the easiest way to confirm the company is a registered motor carrier with insurance on file.

Is it cheaper to rent a truck or use a container for Palo Alto to San Jose?

A one-way rental truck for this distance typically runs $170 to $240 including mileage and fuel, and a portable container about $1,040 to $1,530. Both save money versus a full-service crew but you do the loading, and container transit can take longer than a mover's delivery window.

When is the least expensive time to book this move?

Rates are highest in summer and around the last days of any month, when demand peaks. Mid-month, mid-week and winter dates are usually quoted below the standard rate. Booking four to eight weeks ahead gives you the widest choice of carriers on the Palo Alto–San Jose corridor.