Best Time to Drive from San Mateo to Santa Cruz

Right now (6:34 pm PDT): about 64 minutes via SR-17 South and US-101 South and SR-85 South, usually 58 at this time.

Only 73% 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 San Mateo 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	51	52	54	64	65	57	56	56	57	57	65	73	73	60	54	53	52
Tue	51	51	54	69	72	62	58	56	55	58	76	87	94	76	59	53	51
Wed	51	51	54	69	70	60	57	56	56	59	76	89	95	74	58	53	51
Thu	51	51	55	69	70	60	57	55	56	60	75	91	90	72	60	54	51
Fri	51	52	53	58	58	56	56	57	57	59	70	74	69	60	56	53	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	59	59	58	57	57	56	56	54	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	56	56	55	55	55	55	54	54	53	51

About this drive

On weekdays the 55-mile drive from San Mateo to Santa Cruz (via SR-17 South and US-101 South and SR-85 South) usually takes as little as 51 minutes and up to 96 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 57 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 12 pm on Saturdays (59 minutes).

About 50 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 5 miles surface streets (6 to 12 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central San Mateo 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 San Mateo to Santa Cruz?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 51 minutes then, versus up to 96 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from San Mateo to Santa Cruz?

The 55-mile drive usually takes 51 to 96 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 57 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from San Mateo to Santa Cruz?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 96 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-17 South in Bay Area (20 miles) · US-101 South in Bay Area (16 miles) · SR-85 South in Bay Area (13 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	54	64	65	57	56	56	57	57	65	73	73	60	54	53	52
Tue	51	51	54	69	72	62	58	56	55	58	76	87	94	76	59	53	51
Wed	51	51	54	69	70	60	57	56	56	59	76	89	95	74	58	53	51
Thu	51	51	55	69	70	60	57	55	56	60	75	91	90	72	60	54	51
Fri	51	52	53	58	58	56	56	57	57	59	70	74	69	60	56	53	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	59	59	58	57	57	56	56	54	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	56	56	55	55	55	55	54	54	53	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	54	64	65	57	56	56	57	57	65	73	73	60	54	53	52
Tue	51	51	54	69	72	62	58	56	55	58	76	87	94	76	59	53	51
Wed	51	51	54	69	70	60	57	56	56	59	76	89	95	74	58	53	51
Thu	51	51	55	69	70	60	57	55	56	60	75	91	90	72	60	54	51
Fri	51	52	53	58	58	56	56	57	57	59	70	74	69	60	56	53	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	59	59	58	57	57	56	56	54	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	56	56	55	55	55	55	54	54	53	51

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	51	52	54	64	65	57	56	56	57	57	65	73	73	60	54	53	52
Tue	51	51	54	69	72	62	58	56	55	58	76	87	94	76	59	53	51
Wed	51	51	54	69	70	60	57	56	56	59	76	89	95	74	58	53	51
Thu	51	51	55	69	70	60	57	55	56	60	75	91	90	72	60	54	51
Fri	51	52	53	58	58	56	56	57	57	59	70	74	69	60	56	53	51
Sat	51	51	51	52	53	55	57	59	59	58	57	57	56	56	54	53	51
Sun	51	51	51	51	52	53	55	56	56	55	55	55	55	54	54	53	51