How to get from Oakland to Santa Cruz
5 ways, 95 km apart. Times come from today's timetables (Friday, planned from 08:00). Prices are marked live, operator fare or estimated. We add nothing to the fare.
5 ways to travel
| Way | Door to door | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Busbest | 2h 9m | $9–59 estimated |
| Train | 2h 10m | $13–178 estimated |
| Drivecheapest | 2h 10m | $9–12 estimated |
| Taxi | 2h 10m | $180–250 estimated |
| Metro | 2h 30m | $77–117 estimated |
Departures today
- 08:07 → 10:172h 10m · 1 changeCaltrain Express$72–120
- 08:08 → 10:172h 9m · 2 changesBay Area Rapid Transit Green-N$37–59
- 08:13 → 10:582h 45m · 2 changesCaltrain Local Weekday$112–178
- 08:16 → 11:102h 54m · 1 changeAmtrak 527$14–38
- 08:28 → 10:582h 30m · 3 changesBay Area Rapid Transit Green-N$77–117
- 08:32 → 11:102h 38m · 2 changesBay Area Rapid Transit Green-N$9–19
Timetable data via Transitous and the operators' own GTFS feeds. Live delays arrive when an operator publishes a real-time feed.
Questions people ask
- How long does it take to get from Oakland to Santa Cruz?
- The fastest way is by bus: about 2h 9m door to door. The straight-line distance is 95 km.
- What is the cheapest way from Oakland to Santa Cruz?
- Drive is the cheapest, from $9. That figure is an estimate from the operator's fare bands, not a live quote.
- Is there a direct train from Oakland to Santa Cruz?
- Not today. Train journeys involve a change; the fastest takes 2h 10m.
- How much is the bus from Oakland to Santa Cruz?
- Buses take about 2h 9m and cost $9–59 depending on operator and seat type. 3 departures appear in today's timetable window.
- Can I take the metro from Oakland to Santa Cruz?
- Yes. The metro takes about 2h 30m door to door and costs $77–117. 1 departure in this window.
- How far is Santa Cruz from Oakland by road?
- About 113 km, roughly 2h 10m of driving in normal traffic. Fuel alone costs around $9–12; tolls and parking are extra.