Best Time to Drive from Pleasanton to Santa Cruz

Right now (5:50 pm PDT): about 67 minutes via SR-17 South and I-880 South and I-680 South, usually 59 at this time.

Only 68% 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 Pleasanton 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	52	55	76	78	72	62	58	57	57	57	58	59	61	57	55	53	53
Tue	52	55	79	90	84	70	60	57	56	56	58	61	65	60	56	53	52
Wed	52	55	78	84	78	66	59	57	56	56	59	61	67	60	56	54	52
Thu	52	55	77	86	82	70	60	56	57	58	59	61	66	59	56	54	52
Fri	52	54	58	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	62	63	64	59	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	53	53	54	56	58	58	59	59	60	59	59	61	59	53	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	55	56	57	56	56	56	56	55	58	55	55	53

About this drive

On weekdays the 56-mile drive from Pleasanton to Santa Cruz (via SR-17 South and I-880 South and I-680 South) usually takes as little as 52 minutes and up to 90 minutes, when leaving around 8 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 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 6 pm on Saturdays (61 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (8 to 20 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Pleasanton 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 Pleasanton to Santa Cruz?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 52 minutes then, versus up to 90 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 56-mile drive usually takes 52 to 90 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Pleasanton to Santa Cruz?

Leaving around 8 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 90 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-17 South in Bay Area (23 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (14 miles) · I-680 South in Bay Area (13 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	55	76	78	72	62	58	57	57	57	58	59	61	57	55	53	53
Tue	52	55	79	90	84	70	60	57	56	56	58	61	65	60	56	53	52
Wed	52	55	78	84	78	66	59	57	56	56	59	61	67	60	56	54	52
Thu	52	55	77	86	82	70	60	56	57	58	59	61	66	59	56	54	52
Fri	52	54	58	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	62	63	64	59	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	53	53	54	56	58	58	59	59	60	59	59	61	59	53	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	55	56	57	56	56	56	56	55	58	55	55	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	55	76	78	72	62	58	57	57	57	58	59	61	57	55	53	53
Tue	52	55	79	90	84	70	60	57	56	56	58	61	65	60	56	53	52
Wed	52	55	78	84	78	66	59	57	56	56	59	61	67	60	56	54	52
Thu	52	55	77	86	82	70	60	56	57	58	59	61	66	59	56	54	52
Fri	52	54	58	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	62	63	64	59	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	53	53	54	56	58	58	59	59	60	59	59	61	59	53	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	55	56	57	56	56	56	56	55	58	55	55	53

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	52	55	76	78	72	62	58	57	57	57	58	59	61	57	55	53	53
Tue	52	55	79	90	84	70	60	57	56	56	58	61	65	60	56	53	52
Wed	52	55	78	84	78	66	59	57	56	56	59	61	67	60	56	54	52
Thu	52	55	77	86	82	70	60	56	57	58	59	61	66	59	56	54	52
Fri	52	54	58	58	58	57	57	57	57	59	62	63	64	59	57	54	52
Sat	52	52	53	53	54	56	58	58	59	59	60	59	59	61	59	53	52
Sun	52	52	52	52	53	55	56	57	56	56	56	56	55	58	55	55	53