Best Time to Drive from Santa Cruz to Milpitas

Right now (6:50 pm PDT): about 41 minutes via SR-17 North and I-880 North, usually 39 at this time.

Only 61% 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 Milpitas 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	35	36	38	42	41	39	40	39	39	40	44	46	46	41	37	36	35
Tue	35	36	39	47	44	39	39	39	39	40	47	51	55	48	39	36	35
Wed	35	36	38	46	44	40	39	39	39	41	47	52	54	49	39	36	35
Thu	35	36	38	46	44	39	39	38	39	42	50	53	55	48	38	37	36
Fri	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	48	48	46	41	39	37	35
Sat	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	40	40	41	42	44	47	45	43	42	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	42	40	40	36

About this drive

On weekdays the 37-mile drive from Santa Cruz to Milpitas (via SR-17 North and I-880 North) usually takes as little as 35 minutes and up to 55 minutes, when leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 40 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (47 minutes).

About 31 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (8 to 12 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 Milpitas 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 Milpitas?

On weekdays, leave before 7:30 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 35 minutes then, versus up to 55 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 37-mile drive usually takes 35 to 55 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 40 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Cruz to Milpitas?

Leaving around 5 pm on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 55 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-17 North in Bay Area (22 miles) · I-880 North in Bay Area (8 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Milpitas to Santa Cruz (return trip) · Santa Cruz to San Jose · Santa Cruz to San Francisco · Santa Cruz to Oakland · Santa Cruz to Fremont · Santa Cruz to Hayward · Santa Cruz to Salinas · Santa Cruz to Sunnyvale · Santa Cruz to Concord · Santa Cruz to Santa Clara · Santa Cruz to Berkeley · Santa Cruz 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	35	36	38	42	41	39	40	39	39	40	44	46	46	41	37	36	35
Tue	35	36	39	47	44	39	39	39	39	40	47	51	55	48	39	36	35
Wed	35	36	38	46	44	40	39	39	39	41	47	52	54	49	39	36	35
Thu	35	36	38	46	44	39	39	38	39	42	50	53	55	48	38	37	36
Fri	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	48	48	46	41	39	37	35
Sat	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	40	40	41	42	44	47	45	43	42	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	42	40	40	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	38	42	41	39	40	39	39	40	44	46	46	41	37	36	35
Tue	35	36	39	47	44	39	39	39	39	40	47	51	55	48	39	36	35
Wed	35	36	38	46	44	40	39	39	39	41	47	52	54	49	39	36	35
Thu	35	36	38	46	44	39	39	38	39	42	50	53	55	48	38	37	36
Fri	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	48	48	46	41	39	37	35
Sat	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	40	40	41	42	44	47	45	43	42	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	42	40	40	36

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	35	36	38	42	41	39	40	39	39	40	44	46	46	41	37	36	35
Tue	35	36	39	47	44	39	39	39	39	40	47	51	55	48	39	36	35
Wed	35	36	38	46	44	40	39	39	39	41	47	52	54	49	39	36	35
Thu	35	36	38	46	44	39	39	38	39	42	50	53	55	48	38	37	36
Fri	35	36	37	39	39	40	40	40	41	43	48	48	46	41	39	37	35
Sat	35	36	35	36	36	37	38	40	40	41	42	44	47	45	43	42	36
Sun	35	35	35	35	36	37	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	42	40	40	36