Best Time to Drive from Fremont to Santa Cruz

Right now (7:09 pm PDT): about 53 minutes via SR-17 South and I-880 South, usually 48 at this time.

Only 62% of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Fremont to Santa Cruz by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	47	55	64	65	60	53	51	49	50	50	50	55	50	48	46	45
Tue	44	46	57	69	70	61	55	51	49	49	50	54	59	54	48	46	45
Wed	44	46	56	68	68	62	55	52	49	49	51	53	61	54	47	46	45
Thu	44	46	57	68	68	60	55	51	49	50	51	54	60	53	48	46	45
Fri	44	46	52	57	57	53	52	52	51	52	56	58	59	56	50	46	45
Sat	45	44	45	46	46	49	52	56	53	54	53	52	51	51	48	47	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	50	50	49	48	48	47	48	47	46	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Fremont to Santa Cruz (via SR-17 South and I-880 South) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 70 minutes, when leaving around 9 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (56 minutes).

About 41 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (8 to 19 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Fremont to central Santa Cruz along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Fremont to Santa Cruz?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 70 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Fremont to Santa Cruz?

The 47-mile drive usually takes 44 to 70 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Fremont to Santa Cruz?

Leaving around 9 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 70 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-17 South in Bay Area (23 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (18 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Santa Cruz to Fremont (return trip) · Fremont to San Francisco · Fremont to Oakland · Fremont to San Jose · Fremont to Palo Alto · Fremont to Berkeley · Fremont to Walnut Creek · Fremont to San Mateo · Fremont to Hayward · Fremont to Mountain View · Fremont to Santa Clara · Fremont to Richmond

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	47	55	64	65	60	53	51	49	50	50	50	55	50	48	46	45
Tue	44	46	57	69	70	61	55	51	49	49	50	54	59	54	48	46	45
Wed	44	46	56	68	68	62	55	52	49	49	51	53	61	54	47	46	45
Thu	44	46	57	68	68	60	55	51	49	50	51	54	60	53	48	46	45
Fri	44	46	52	57	57	53	52	52	51	52	56	58	59	56	50	46	45
Sat	45	44	45	46	46	49	52	56	53	54	53	52	51	51	48	47	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	50	50	49	48	48	47	48	47	46	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	47	55	64	65	60	53	51	49	50	50	50	55	50	48	46	45
Tue	44	46	57	69	70	61	55	51	49	49	50	54	59	54	48	46	45
Wed	44	46	56	68	68	62	55	52	49	49	51	53	61	54	47	46	45
Thu	44	46	57	68	68	60	55	51	49	50	51	54	60	53	48	46	45
Fri	44	46	52	57	57	53	52	52	51	52	56	58	59	56	50	46	45
Sat	45	44	45	46	46	49	52	56	53	54	53	52	51	51	48	47	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	50	50	49	48	48	47	48	47	46	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	47	55	64	65	60	53	51	49	50	50	50	55	50	48	46	45
Tue	44	46	57	69	70	61	55	51	49	49	50	54	59	54	48	46	45
Wed	44	46	56	68	68	62	55	52	49	49	51	53	61	54	47	46	45
Thu	44	46	57	68	68	60	55	51	49	50	51	54	60	53	48	46	45
Fri	44	46	52	57	57	53	52	52	51	52	56	58	59	56	50	46	45
Sat	45	44	45	46	46	49	52	56	53	54	53	52	51	51	48	47	45
Sun	45	45	44	45	46	47	49	50	50	49	48	48	47	48	47	46	45