Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Scotts Valley, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for SFO–SJC. At 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

66.7 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 57m

7m in the air

Air Distance

55 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SJC → Scotts Valley, CA 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Scotts Valley, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFO and SJC. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 38m

1h 18m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 78m

Arrival 10m

San Jose → Scotts Valley, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From San Francisco 1 mi, ~10m drive

To San Jose 20 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2005

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

San Jose Diridon Station (SJO6) → Scotts Valley, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SJO6 — San Jose Diridon Station 20 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 25m	2h 57m	2h 38m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$8	$5
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

66.7 mi 1h 25m

via US 101, CA 17, CA 85

Alternative (+12 min)

75.3 mi 1h 37m

via I 880, CA 17, I 80

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from San Francisco, CA to Scotts Valley, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.