There are 9 ways to get from San Jose to Chicago by plane, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), train (Amtrak), car, subway, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
best- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)plane SJC - MDW
5h 47m$134–558Fly Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)plane SJC - ORD
6h 16m$114–488Bus
- Take the bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Oaklandbus
- Take the bus from Oakland to Sparks Transit Centerbus
- Take the bus from Sparks Transit Center to Denver Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Denver Union Station to Chicago Bus Stationbus
2d 3h$326–642Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from San Jose to Emeryvilletrain Capitol Corridor / ...
- Take the train from Emeryville to Chicago Union Stationtrain California Zephyr
2d 6h$664–1,530Drive 2,154.1 mi
- Drive from San Jose to Chicagocar 2,154.1 mi
33h 24m$394–568BART to Oakland International Airport, fly to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Take the subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Coliseumsubway
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)plane OAK - MDW
6h 38m$151–617Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)plane SFO - MDW
6h 48m$188–435Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)plane SFO - ORD
7h 6m$138–305Train to Sacramento International Airport, fly to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Take the train from San Jose to Sacramentotrain
- Fly from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)plane SMF - MDW
9h 45m$172–641
San Jose to Chicago by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Jose to Chicago is to Caltrain and fly which costs $180 - $440 and takes 6h 48m.
The fastest way to get from San Jose to Chicago is to fly which takes 5h 47m and costs $130 - $600.
No, there is no direct bus from San Jose station to Chicago station. However, there are services departing from San Jose Diridon Station and arriving at Chicago Bus Station via Oakland, Sparks Transit Center and Denver Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 3h.
No, there is no direct train from San Jose to Chicago station. However, there are services departing from San Jose and arriving at Chicago Union Station via Emeryville. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 6h.
The distance between San Jose and Chicago is 1857 miles. The road distance is 2166.7 miles.
The best way to get from San Jose to Chicago without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 3h and costs $320 - $650.
It takes approximately 5h 47m to get from San Jose to Chicago, including transfers.
San Jose to Chicago bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Jose Diridon Station.
San Jose to Chicago train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from San Jose station.
The best way to get from San Jose to Chicago is to fly which takes 5h 47m and costs $130 - $600. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $320 - $650 and takes 2 days 3h, you could also train, which costs $650 - $1,600 and takes 2 days 6h.
What companies run services between San Jose, CA, USA and Chicago, IL, USA?
Southwest Airlines flies from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) 5 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Chicago Bus Station via Oakland, Sparks Transit Center, and Denver Union Station in around 2d 3h.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 6m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 4m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Monday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Sunday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $110–490
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $120–490
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $120–500
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 20m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Tuesday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 29m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 29m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–430
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Omaha
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 12m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $100–430
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 52m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–430
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–490
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 8m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $120–500
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $100–440
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 14m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $100–430
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Jose to Emeryville
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $13–30
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Emeryville to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2d 4h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $650–1,500
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Jose to Sacramento
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 15m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $35–85
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- BART
Subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Coliseum
- Ave. Duration
- 44 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $6–9
- Website
- BART
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $6–12
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Oakland to Sparks Transit Center
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $30–60
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Sparks Transit Center to Denver Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $150–290
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Denver Union Station to Chicago Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $140–280
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $6–10
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
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More Questions & Answers
San Jose to Chicago bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Oakland station.
Chicago is 2h ahead of San Jose. It is currently 1:24 AM in San Jose and 3:24 AM in Chicago.
San Jose to Chicago train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Emeryville station.
Yes, the driving distance between San Jose to Chicago is 2167 miles. It takes approximately 33h 24m to drive from San Jose to Chicago.
Book your San Jose to Chicago train tickets online with Omio.
Book your San Jose to Chicago bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
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