How to get from San Francisco to Santa Cruz
4 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.
4 ways to travel
| Way | Door to door | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Busbest | 1h 56m | $10–144 estimated |
| Train | 2h 9m | $15–211 estimated |
| Drivecheapest | 2h 14m | $9–13 estimated |
| Taxi | 2h 14m | $185–255 estimated |
Departures today
- 08:21 → 10:171h 56m · 1 changeCaltrain Express$93–144
- 08:22 → 11:102h 48m · 2 changesSan Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency N$15–40
- 08:26 → 11:102h 44m · 3 changesSan Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency L$15–40
- 08:32 → 10:582h 26m · 2 changesCaltrain Local Weekday$142–211
- 08:50 → 10:592h 9m · 1 changeCaltrain Limited$78–122
- 08:57 → 11:583h 1m · 2 changesSan Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency N$15–41
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 San Francisco to Santa Cruz?
- The fastest way is by bus: about 1h 56m door to door. The straight-line distance is 95 km.
- What is the cheapest way from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Santa Cruz?
- Not today. Train journeys involve a change; the fastest takes 2h 9m.
- How much is the bus from San Francisco to Santa Cruz?
- Buses take about 1h 56m and cost $10–144 depending on operator and seat type. 2 departures appear in today's timetable window.
- How far is Santa Cruz from San Francisco by road?
- About 117 km, roughly 2h 14m of driving in normal traffic. Fuel alone costs around $9–13; tolls and parking are extra.