Best Time to Drive from Woodland to Santa Cruz

Right now (7:49 pm PDT): about 129 minutes via I-680 South and I-80 West, usually 128 at this time.

Only 76% 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 Woodland 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	133	159	162	152	143	143	142	141	139	139	138	140	132	129	128	128	128
Tue	132	164	173	166	149	142	139	137	137	139	140	144	135	130	128	128	128
Wed	132	159	166	158	147	142	140	138	138	139	142	145	135	129	128	128	127
Thu	131	160	167	162	149	141	137	137	139	139	143	145	136	129	128	128	127
Fri	130	140	141	140	140	140	139	140	142	146	146	144	138	131	128	127	127
Sat	127	128	129	131	136	141	148	147	147	144	143	141	139	133	130	129	127
Sun	127	127	128	129	132	135	141	146	149	147	147	145	145	138	136	131	127

About this drive

On weekdays the 142-mile drive from Woodland to Santa Cruz (via I-680 South and I-80 West) usually takes as little as 127 minutes and up to 173 minutes, when leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 5:30 am or after 4:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 139 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 1 pm on Sundays (149 minutes).

About 135 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 7 miles surface streets (about 8 minutes), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from central Woodland 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 Woodland to Santa Cruz?

On weekdays, leave before 5:30 am or after 4:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 127 minutes then, versus up to 173 minutes at the worst times.

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

The 142-mile drive usually takes 127 to 173 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 139 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Woodland to Santa Cruz?

Leaving around 7 am on Tuesdays is usually slowest, about 173 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-680 South in Bay Area (57 miles) · SR-17 South in Bay Area (23 miles) · I-80 West in Bay Area (16 miles) · I-880 South in Bay Area (14 miles) · SR-113 South in Sacramento (12 miles) · I-80 West in Sacramento (9 miles)

Sacramento traffic right now · Sacramento traffic tomorrow · Bay Area traffic right now · Bay Area traffic tomorrow

More drives

Woodland to Sacramento · Woodland to Oakland · Woodland to Stockton · Woodland to Santa Rosa · Woodland to Elk Grove · Woodland to Roseville · Woodland to Concord

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	133	159	162	152	143	143	142	141	139	139	138	140	132	129	128	128	128
Tue	132	164	173	166	149	142	139	137	137	139	140	144	135	130	128	128	128
Wed	132	159	166	158	147	142	140	138	138	139	142	145	135	129	128	128	127
Thu	131	160	167	162	149	141	137	137	139	139	143	145	136	129	128	128	127
Fri	130	140	141	140	140	140	139	140	142	146	146	144	138	131	128	127	127
Sat	127	128	129	131	136	141	148	147	147	144	143	141	139	133	130	129	127
Sun	127	127	128	129	132	135	141	146	149	147	147	145	145	138	136	131	127

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	133	159	162	152	143	143	142	141	139	139	138	140	132	129	128	128	128
Tue	132	164	173	166	149	142	139	137	137	139	140	144	135	130	128	128	128
Wed	132	159	166	158	147	142	140	138	138	139	142	145	135	129	128	128	127
Thu	131	160	167	162	149	141	137	137	139	139	143	145	136	129	128	128	127
Fri	130	140	141	140	140	140	139	140	142	146	146	144	138	131	128	127	127
Sat	127	128	129	131	136	141	148	147	147	144	143	141	139	133	130	129	127
Sun	127	127	128	129	132	135	141	146	149	147	147	145	145	138	136	131	127

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	133	159	162	152	143	143	142	141	139	139	138	140	132	129	128	128	128
Tue	132	164	173	166	149	142	139	137	137	139	140	144	135	130	128	128	128
Wed	132	159	166	158	147	142	140	138	138	139	142	145	135	129	128	128	127
Thu	131	160	167	162	149	141	137	137	139	139	143	145	136	129	128	128	127
Fri	130	140	141	140	140	140	139	140	142	146	146	144	138	131	128	127	127
Sat	127	128	129	131	136	141	148	147	147	144	143	141	139	133	130	129	127
Sun	127	127	128	129	132	135	141	146	149	147	147	145	145	138	136	131	127