How far is Santa Cruz, CA from Stockton, CA?

The driving distance from Santa Cruz, CA to Stockton, CA is about 102.2 miles (164.5 km), with a travel time of about 01h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 79.2 miles (127.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 03h 40m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
102.18 mi
01h 50m
Flight
79.16 mi
127.39 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Santa Cruz.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
79.16 mi
Kilometers
127.39 km
Flight Time
00h 09m

Driving Distance

Road route
102.18 mi
Kilometers
164.45 km
Drive Time
01h 50m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 01h 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Stockton
Sun, Apr 19, 2:11 AM PDT
Return by in Santa Cruz
Sun, Apr 19, 4:02 AM PDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Santa Cruz
2026-04-19T00:21
Arrive Stockton
Sun, Apr 19, 2:11 AM PDT
Route Timing
01h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
9:50 AM to 11:50 AM PDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
2:50 PM PDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Santa Cruz
9:30 PM PDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Sunol
CA

Census-designated place in Alameda County, California

From Santa Cruz
51.1 mi
00h 55m
To Stockton
51.1 mi
00h 55m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
69°F
Sunday

Slight Chance Light Rain

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
1 to 12 mph W
Destination
75°F
Sunday

Chance Light Rain

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM PDT
Wind
3 to 9 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Santa Cruz and Stockton.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Santa Cruz and Stockton.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    16 m · 7 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Chestnut Street

    32 m · 2 sec · Chestnut Street

  3. 3

    Keep slight left to continue on Chestnut Street Extension

    943 ft · 21 sec · Chestnut Street Extension

  4. 4

    Continue on Cabrillo Highway

    1.6 km · 2 min · Cabrillo Highway

  5. 5

    Take the exit slight left toward CA 17 North: San Jose, Oakland

    1133 ft · 24 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Santa Cruz Highway

    26.5 mi · 35 min · Santa Cruz Highway

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    11.5 mi · 13 min

  8. 8

    Keep slight right to continue on Nimitz Freeway

    3139 ft · 41 sec · Nimitz Freeway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Sacramento

    1.6 mi · 2 min

  10. 10

    Take the exit straight toward I 680 North: Sacramento

    1012 ft · 25 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on I 680 North: Sacramento

    1618 ft · 41 sec

  12. 12

    Merge slight left

    8.5 mi · 10 min

  13. 13

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 84 East: Livermore, Vallecitos Road

    5.5 mi · 8 min

  14. 14

    Merge slight right onto Isabel Avenue

    4.3 mi · 7 min · Isabel Avenue

  15. 15

    Take the exit slight right toward I 580 East: Stockton

    2679 ft · 1 min

  16. 16

    Merge slight left onto Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

    12.9 mi · 15 min · Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway

  17. 17

    Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway

    3.9 mi · 4 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway

  18. 18

    Keep slight left to continue on Robert T. Monagan Freeway

    10.7 mi · 12 min · Robert T. Monagan Freeway

  19. 19

    Merge slight left onto Westside Freeway

    11.6 mi · 13 min · Westside Freeway

  20. 20

    Take the exit slight right toward CA 4 West

    1135 ft · 15 sec

  21. 21

    Keep slight right

    124 m · 5 sec

  22. 22

    Turn straight onto West Charter Way

    2959 ft · 1 min · West Charter Way

  23. 23

    Turn left onto South El Dorado Street

    1 mi · 2 min · South El Dorado Street

  24. 24

    Continue on North El Dorado Street

    1468 ft · 38 sec · North El Dorado Street

  25. 25

    Turn right onto East Fremont Street

    36 m · 5 sec · East Fremont Street

  26. 26

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East Fremont Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Santa Cruz and Stockton.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
26 steps
4 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
11
5 merges, 6 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
25.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Santa Cruz Highway
38 mi · 37%
Robert T. Monagan Freeway
14.6 mi · 14%
Arthur H. Breed Junior Freeway
12.9 mi · 13%
Westside Freeway
11.6 mi · 11%
I 680 North
9.03 mi · 9%
CA 84 East
5.47 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Santa Cruz Highway

Merge slight left onto Santa Cruz Highway

26.5 mi · 00h 35m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
01h 50m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
03h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+23 mi
79.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Sunol
00h 55m from Santa Cruz
Leave By
2:50 PM PDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Slight Chance Light Rain leaving Santa Cruz and Chance Light Rain near Stockton.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 102.2 miles (164.5 km) and usually takes 01h 50m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Sunol is a useful midpoint, sitting about 51.1 miles from Santa Cruz and 51.1 miles from Stockton.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 79.2 miles (127.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 23 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 2:50 PM PDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $20.83 one way or $41.65 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 32.1 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Slight Chance Light Rain around Santa Cruz and Chance Light Rain near Stockton.

Stop Ideas Near Sunol

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Sunol, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Sunol.

RAIL

Pleasanton, CA

7 mi away
4950 Pleasanton Avenue
BUS

Fremont (San Joaquin Buses), California

7 mi away
999 Upper Mission Blvd
RAIL

Fremont station

11 mi away
37260 Fremont Blvd.
BUS

Dublin-Pleasanton, California

12 mi away
5801 Owens Drive

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Santa Cruz and Stockton. Straight-line distance: 79.16 mi (127.39 km).

Santa Cruz

#1 Santa Cruz

The most populous city in Santa Cruz County, California.

Population64,317
Coordinates36.9741200, -122.0308000
Altitude11
CountryUnited States
Stockton

#2 Stockton

The fifth most populous city in California and the center of the Stockton metropolitan area.

Population312,716
Coordinates37.9577000, -121.2907800
Altitude4
CountryUnited States
Start: (-122.030787, 36.974078)
End: East Fremont Street (-121.290763, 37.957639)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 164 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)03h 24m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)02h 33m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)02h 02m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)01h 42m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)01h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)01h 16m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
3.61 gal
13.65 L · about $20.83
Round trip
$41.65
7.22 gal · 27.3 L
Estimated CO2
32.1 kg one way
Round trip: 64.2 kg / 142 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $5.77 $20.83 $41.65
Mid-grade $6.07 $21.90 $43.80
Premium $6.24 $22.54 $45.07
Diesel $7.57 $27.32 $54.63

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in California · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Santa Cruz and Stockton. The current time is 00:21:30.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.