How to reach the San Jose and San Francisco Airports from
Santa Cruz
All (price) information is based on the situation on Februari 2004.
Please e-mail me for updates.
From San Jose Airport
- option 1: Bus (seems more complicated than it is; I've done this quite often)
- step 1. From the airport the San Jose Caltrain station (Didrion).
There are three options:
- (Recommended) Take a taxi, which is about $14, takes 10 minutes.
- Take the lightrail to Downtown Santa Cruz and then
a shuttle to the Caltrain station
- Take the shuttle to the Santa Clara Caltrain station
and then the caltrain to San Jose Didrion
- step 2. From the San Jose Caltrain station to Santa Cruz.
There are three options:
- Take the Amtrack bus to the Santa Cruz Metro Center. $6 one way,
runs every 1 - 2 hours, takes 45 minutes.
I do not know whether the situation has improved, but I
experienced delays very often
(From SJ to SC; not from SC to SJ).
- Take SCMD route nr 17 "Highway 17".
This takes you to a parking lot on the East side of
Santa Cruz, close to the dominical hospital.
If you want to be in downtown, change at Scott's
Valley transit center to route nr 35. (Ask the
bus driver which bus is the fastest) $3 + $1.50.
option 2: Scheduled Airporter
- Santa Cruz Airporter: (831) 423-1214 or 800 497-4997.
- Rides are scheduled every 2 hours, per person.
- $40 one way, $80 round trip.
- takes 1 hour.
- There is a discount if you are traveling on a UCSC business,
ask your UCSC department for the contract number.
option 3: Shared taxi, door-to-door service
- Abacus Transportation Services: (831) 469-3333 or 877 291-3300
- Has to be reserved in advance.
- $65 one way, I believe this is for each group traveling to the
same address.
From San Francisco Airport
- option 1: Caltrain + bus
- step 1. From the airport the Millbrae Caltrain station.
- Take the Bart, which leaves straight from the airport
to the Millbrae Caltrain station, or
- Maybe one could also take a taxi; I have never done this.
- step 2. From the Millbrae Caltrain station to Santa Cruz.
every 30 minutes, more often during peak hours.
- step 3. From the San Jose Caltrain station to Santa Cruz,
see above.
- option 2: Greyhound
People told me about a greyhound bus that stops
at the greyhound staion at SFO and connects directly
to Santa Cruz, probably. $11.50.
I could not track it down on the internet, so
calling may be a good idea...
- option 3: Scheduled Airporter
- Santa Cruz Airporter: (831) 423-1214 or 800 497-4997.
- Rides are scheduled every 2 hours.
- $50 one way, $90(?) round trip, per person.
- Takes about 1.40 hour.
- There is a discount if you are traveling on a UCSC business,
ask your UCSC department for the contract number.
- option 4: Shared taxi, door-to-door service
- Abacus Transportation Services: (831) 469-3333 or 877 291-3300
- Has to be reserved in advance.
- $90 one way, I believe this is for each group traveling to the
same address.