The crowning jewel of California’s Central Coast, Santa Cruz County is Silicon Valley’s playground, where redwood forests meet sunny beaches along 29 miles of coastline. Whether you plan to travel to the Santa Cruz region by bus or by car, here is what you need to know:

Distance to Santa Cruz from:

Levi’s Stadium: 35 miles/56 km
Downtown San Jose: 32 miles/51 km
San Jose Mineta International Airport: 33 miles/53 km
Oakland International Airport: 65 miles/105 km
San Francisco International Airport: 66 miles/106 km
Los Angeles International Airport: 348 miles/560 km
Yosemite National Park: 186 miles/299 km
Lake Tahoe: 263 miles/423 km

By Car:

The most direct way to travel to Santa Cruz from Silicon Valley is by car via Highway 17. This route will take you through the Santa Cruz Mountains into town.

If traveling northbound from southern California, take U.S. Route 101 or Interstate 5 and then travel westbound to California’s State Route 1.

Local Highways

Highway 1
Highway 9
Highway 17
Highway 129
Highway 152

By Bus:

Local bus service to and from Santa Cruz from San Jose’s Diridon Station, 65 Cahill Street is provided by the Highway 17 Express, seven days a week. Click here for schedule times.

By Private Shuttle:

Early Bird Airport Shuttle
Phone: +1.831.462.3933

From Santa Cruz to Levi’s Stadium:

Take mass transportation from Santa Cruz to Levi’s Stadium! With the many street closures around Levi’s Stadium during FIFA World Cup, taking mass transit is the stress-free option.

• Highway 17 Express Bus –> Amtrak –> directly to Levi’s Stadium
  • HWY 17 Express picks up at Transit Center Area 4 on Front Street (in front of Trader Joe’s) & Cavallaro Transit Center in Scotts Valley
    • Approximately an hour ride to Amtrak
    • WIFI on the bus
    • $7.00 exact cash or download Metro Splash Pass
  • Drops directly at Amtrak Diridon Station
    • Amtrak is $5.00 to Levi’s Stadium and is purchasable at the Amtrak kiosk, Amtrak App or Amtrak.com website
    • A 14 minute ride to Great America Station which is a 6-minute walk to Levi’s Stadium
    • Includes a cafe and restroom on board the train
• Santa Cruz Metro’s HWY 17 Express Bus final departure from Diridon Station is typically at 11:15 P.M. For the two 9 P.M. games on June 16th 2026 and June 19th 2026, Metro is adding a 12:30 A.M. and 1:30 A.M. trip giving attendees sufficient time to make the last trip after the games
• A one-way trip approximately will take 1 hour and 20 minutes

More information:

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Across the U.S. and Canada
California Department of Transportation Road and Highway Conditions or 1.800.427.ROAD
City of Santa Cruz parking lot facilities and bicycle parking information