Getting Around Santa Cruz
Find the best way to access the city from anywhere.
Santa Cruz Airport information
Situated 65 miles from Santa Cruz and 14 miles outside of downtown San Francisco, San Francisco International Airport is one of the world's 30 busiest airports, serving more than 44 million passengers in 2012. The four-terminal airport recently unveiled its new, 640,000-square-foot Terminal 2 after a $383-million renovation. Nearly all of the airport's eateries are branches of local restaurants, bars and cafes, while the airport's mix of bookstores, gift shops, travel outfitters and luxury boutiques have ties to local purveyors as well. Traveling between terminals is easy thanks to AirTrain, a fully automated people mover that runs 24 hours a day. AirTrain's Red Line collects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the BART station. AirTrain's Blue Line connects all terminals and terminal garages, as well as provides direct access to the BART station and the airport's Rental Car Center.
Santa Cruz Ground information
Santa Cruz Metro
The Santa Cruz Metro bus system operates along 41 fixed routes, providing local service in the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville and Scotts Valley and the unincorporated areas of Aptos, Soquel, Live Oak, Bonny Doon, Davenport and the San Lorenzo Valley, as well as the Highway 17 Express route, which connects Santa Cruz County with downtown San Jose and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service. The system provides daily service aboard more than 80 buses. Regular local service costs $2 cash fare, $6 for a day pass, $15 for a three-day pass, $32 for a seven-day pass, $65 for a 31-day pass and $27 for a 15-ride pass. Highway 17 Express fare runs $5 cash, $10 for a day pass, $42 for a five-day pass and $113 for a 31-day pass.
Amtrak
Amtrak operates a bus stop at 920 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz, open daily from 6 AM to 11 PM, as well as a bus stop at 246 Kings Village Road in Scotts Valley, with no set hours.
Greyhound
The Santa Cruz Greyhound station, located at 920 Pacific Avenue, is open Monday through Saturday from 6:15 to 6:45 AM, 8 to 11 AM and 1 to 4 PM.
Rental Cars
The Rental Car Center at Mineta San Jose International Airport features counters for Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless and Thrifty. Easily accessed via its AirTrain service, San Francisco International Airport’s Rental Car Center houses counters for Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National and Thrifty, while Payless is represented off-airport. Monterey Regional Airport houses counters for Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National.
Taxi
Visitors traveling to Santa Cruz from San Francisco International Airport should expect to pay about $260 in taxi fare, while those traveling from Mineta San Jose International Airport about $110 and from Monterey Regional Airport about $75.
The Santa Cruz Metro bus system operates along 41 fixed routes, providing local service in the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville and Scotts Valley and the unincorporated areas of Aptos, Soquel, Live Oak, Bonny Doon, Davenport and the San Lorenzo Valley, as well as the Highway 17 Express route, which connects Santa Cruz County with downtown San Jose and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service. The system provides daily service aboard more than 80 buses. Regular local service costs $2 cash fare, $6 for a day pass, $15 for a three-day pass, $32 for a seven-day pass, $65 for a 31-day pass and $27 for a 15-ride pass. Highway 17 Express fare runs $5 cash, $10 for a day pass, $42 for a five-day pass and $113 for a 31-day pass.
Amtrak
Amtrak operates a bus stop at 920 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz, open daily from 6 AM to 11 PM, as well as a bus stop at 246 Kings Village Road in Scotts Valley, with no set hours.
Greyhound
The Santa Cruz Greyhound station, located at 920 Pacific Avenue, is open Monday through Saturday from 6:15 to 6:45 AM, 8 to 11 AM and 1 to 4 PM.
Rental Cars
The Rental Car Center at Mineta San Jose International Airport features counters for Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, Payless and Thrifty. Easily accessed via its AirTrain service, San Francisco International Airport’s Rental Car Center houses counters for Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National and Thrifty, while Payless is represented off-airport. Monterey Regional Airport houses counters for Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National.
Taxi
Visitors traveling to Santa Cruz from San Francisco International Airport should expect to pay about $260 in taxi fare, while those traveling from Mineta San Jose International Airport about $110 and from Monterey Regional Airport about $75.
Santa Cruz Public information
The Santa Cruz Metro bus system operates along 41 fixed routes, providing local service in the cities of Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville and Scotts Valley and the unincorporated areas of Aptos, Soquel, Live Oak, Bonny Doon, Davenport and the San Lorenzo Valley, as well as the Highway 17 Express route, which connects Santa Cruz County with downtown San Jose and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service. The system provides daily service aboard more than 80 buses. Regular local service costs $2 cash fare, $6 for a day pass, $15 for a three-day pass, $32 for a seven-day pass, $65 for a 31-day pass and $27 for a 15-ride pass. Highway 17 Express fare runs $5 cash, $10 for a day pass, $42 for a five-day pass and $113 for a 31-day pass.