Best Time to Drive from Santa Cruz to Fremont

Right now (7:09 pm PDT): about 67 minutes via SR-17 North and I-880 North, usually 53 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 Santa Cruz to Fremont 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	46	53	59	57	53	51	50	49	51	57	61	63	56	48	45	44
Tue	44	47	54	63	60	52	51	49	49	52	61	67	71	64	53	46	44
Wed	44	47	54	63	60	53	51	50	49	53	61	69	71	64	55	46	44
Thu	44	47	54	63	59	52	51	49	49	53	63	69	71	63	53	46	44
Fri	44	46	50	54	52	51	51	51	52	57	63	65	63	57	52	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	45	45	46	49	52	52	52	54	58	60	56	55	52	46
Sun	44	44	44	44	45	46	48	51	50	51	52	54	54	52	50	50	45

About this drive

On weekdays the 47-mile drive from Santa Cruz to Fremont (via SR-17 North and I-880 North) usually takes as little as 44 minutes and up to 72 minutes, when leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 51 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (60 minutes).

About 40 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (9 to 16 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Santa Cruz to central Fremont 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 Santa Cruz to Fremont?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8 pm. The drive usually takes about 44 minutes then, versus up to 72 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 47-mile drive usually takes 44 to 72 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 51 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Cruz to Fremont?

Leaving around 4:30 pm on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 72 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-17 North in Bay Area (22 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (17 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Fremont to Santa Cruz (return trip) · Santa Cruz to San Jose · Santa Cruz to San Francisco · Santa Cruz to Oakland

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	46	53	59	57	53	51	50	49	51	57	61	63	56	48	45	44
Tue	44	47	54	63	60	52	51	49	49	52	61	67	71	64	53	46	44
Wed	44	47	54	63	60	53	51	50	49	53	61	69	71	64	55	46	44
Thu	44	47	54	63	59	52	51	49	49	53	63	69	71	63	53	46	44
Fri	44	46	50	54	52	51	51	51	52	57	63	65	63	57	52	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	45	45	46	49	52	52	52	54	58	60	56	55	52	46
Sun	44	44	44	44	45	46	48	51	50	51	52	54	54	52	50	50	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	46	53	59	57	53	51	50	49	51	57	61	63	56	48	45	44
Tue	44	47	54	63	60	52	51	49	49	52	61	67	71	64	53	46	44
Wed	44	47	54	63	60	53	51	50	49	53	61	69	71	64	55	46	44
Thu	44	47	54	63	59	52	51	49	49	53	63	69	71	63	53	46	44
Fri	44	46	50	54	52	51	51	51	52	57	63	65	63	57	52	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	45	45	46	49	52	52	52	54	58	60	56	55	52	46
Sun	44	44	44	44	45	46	48	51	50	51	52	54	54	52	50	50	45

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	44	46	53	59	57	53	51	50	49	51	57	61	63	56	48	45	44
Tue	44	47	54	63	60	52	51	49	49	52	61	67	71	64	53	46	44
Wed	44	47	54	63	60	53	51	50	49	53	61	69	71	64	55	46	44
Thu	44	47	54	63	59	52	51	49	49	53	63	69	71	63	53	46	44
Fri	44	46	50	54	52	51	51	51	52	57	63	65	63	57	52	47	44
Sat	44	44	44	45	45	46	49	52	52	52	54	58	60	56	55	52	46
Sun	44	44	44	44	45	46	48	51	50	51	52	54	54	52	50	50	45