Best Time to Drive from Santa Cruz to Sunnyvale

Right now (5:51 pm PDT): about 50 minutes via SR-17 North, usually 41 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 Sunnyvale 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	36	36	42	48	40	39	40	39	38	39	50	47	46	37	36	36	36
Tue	36	37	47	60	52	42	40	39	39	39	51	51	51	50	39	36	36
Wed	36	37	47	58	50	43	39	39	38	39	49	52	51	49	40	37	36
Thu	36	37	48	63	50	41	39	38	39	39	52	52	51	50	39	37	36
Fri	36	37	40	42	39	39	40	40	39	40	48	43	40	38	37	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	39	39	39	40	42	45	43	42	42	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	40	40	41	42	43	42	41	40	40	37

About this drive

On weekdays the 36-mile drive from Santa Cruz to Sunnyvale (via SR-17 North) usually takes as little as 36 minutes and up to 63 minutes, when leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays. The fastest times to leave are before 7 am or after 7 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 39 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 5 pm on Saturdays (45 minutes).

About 28 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 8 miles surface streets (11 to 25 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 Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale?

On weekdays, leave before 7 am or after 7 pm. The drive usually takes about 36 minutes then, versus up to 63 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 36-mile drive usually takes 36 to 63 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 39 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Cruz to Sunnyvale?

Leaving around 7:30 am on Thursdays is usually slowest, about 63 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

SR-17 North in Bay Area (22 miles) · I-280 North in Bay Area (5 miles)

Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Sunnyvale 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

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	36	42	48	40	39	40	39	38	39	50	47	46	37	36	36	36
Tue	36	37	47	60	52	42	40	39	39	39	51	51	51	50	39	36	36
Wed	36	37	47	58	50	43	39	39	38	39	49	52	51	49	40	37	36
Thu	36	37	48	63	50	41	39	38	39	39	52	52	51	50	39	37	36
Fri	36	37	40	42	39	39	40	40	39	40	48	43	40	38	37	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	39	39	39	40	42	45	43	42	42	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	40	40	41	42	43	42	41	40	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	36	42	48	40	39	40	39	38	39	50	47	46	37	36	36	36
Tue	36	37	47	60	52	42	40	39	39	39	51	51	51	50	39	36	36
Wed	36	37	47	58	50	43	39	39	38	39	49	52	51	49	40	37	36
Thu	36	37	48	63	50	41	39	38	39	39	52	52	51	50	39	37	36
Fri	36	37	40	42	39	39	40	40	39	40	48	43	40	38	37	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	39	39	39	40	42	45	43	42	42	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	40	40	41	42	43	42	41	40	40	37

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	36	36	42	48	40	39	40	39	38	39	50	47	46	37	36	36	36
Tue	36	37	47	60	52	42	40	39	39	39	51	51	51	50	39	36	36
Wed	36	37	47	58	50	43	39	39	38	39	49	52	51	49	40	37	36
Thu	36	37	48	63	50	41	39	38	39	39	52	52	51	50	39	37	36
Fri	36	37	40	42	39	39	40	40	39	40	48	43	40	38	37	37	36
Sat	36	36	36	36	36	37	38	39	39	39	40	42	45	43	42	42	37
Sun	36	36	36	36	36	37	39	40	40	41	42	43	42	41	40	40	37