There are 5 ways to get from Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe by taxi, plane, bus (Amtrak), car, bus, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Taxi to Monterey Regional Airport, fly, taxi
best- Take the taxi from Santa Cruz to Monterey Regional Airport (MRY)taxi
- Fly from Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO)plane MRY - RNO
- Take the taxi from Reno-Airport-RNO to Sand Harbor Visitors Centertaxi
4h 45m$484–980Drive 247.3 mi
cheapest- Drive from Santa Cruz to Sand Harborcar 247.3 mi
5h 13m$46–66Bus
- Take the bus from Front to Diridon Stationbus 17
- Take the bus from San Jose Park and Ride to Tahoe Mountain Resort - Northstarbus Northstar
9h 54m$110–117Bus, Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly, taxi
- Take the bus from Front to Diridon Stationbus
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO)plane SFO - RNO
- Take the taxi from Reno-Airport-RNO to Sand Harbor Visitors Centertaxi
5h 13m$355–665Bus to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly, taxi
- Take the bus from Front to Diridon Stationbus
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO)plane SJC - RNO
- Take the taxi from Reno-Airport-RNO to Sand Harbor Visitors Centertaxi
4h 24m$506–733
Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe is to drive which costs $45 - $65 and takes 5h 13m.
The fastest way to get from Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe is to bus and fly and taxi which takes 4h 24m and costs $500 - $750.
No, there is no direct bus from Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe. However, there are services departing from Front and arriving at Sand Harbor Visitors Center via San Jose Park and Ride, Northstar Village Gate # 8, Hwy 28 at Crystal Bay Club and Hwy 28 at Raley's Shopping Center. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 9h 54m.
The distance between Santa Cruz and Lake Tahoe is 312 miles. The road distance is 248.7 miles.
The best way to get from Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe without a car is to bus which takes 9h 54m and costs $110 - $120.
It takes approximately 4h 45m to get from Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe, including transfers.
Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe bus services, operated by Santa Cruz Metro, depart from Front station.
Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe bus services, operated by Santa Cruz Metro, arrive at Diridon Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe is 249 miles. It takes approximately 5h 13m to drive from Santa Cruz to Lake Tahoe.
There are 294+ hotels available in Lake Tahoe.
What companies run services between Santa Cruz, CA, USA and Lake Tahoe, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Front to Sand Harbor Visitors Center via Diridon Station, San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound, Tamien Caltrain Southbound, San Jose Park and Ride, Northstar Village Gate # 8, Hwy 28 at Crystal Bay Club, Hwy 28 at US Bank, and Hwy 28 at Raley's Shopping Center in around 9h 54m.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Reno/Tahoe International Airport via San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–290
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Reno/Tahoe International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 47m
- When
- Friday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $65–370
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Reno/Tahoe International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–250
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Reno/Tahoe International Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–650
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Reno/Tahoe International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–480
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Reno/Tahoe International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–480
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Reno/Tahoe International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 2m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $35–280
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
- Phone
- +1 (831) 425-8600
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +1 925-382-8320
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tahoe Ski Trips
Bus from San Jose Park and Ride to Tahoe Mountain Resort - Northstar
- Ave. Duration
- 5h
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $95
- Website
- Tahoe Ski Trips
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Estimated price
- $130–170
Deluxe Taxi Cab Co
- Phone
- +1 831-475-3232
Go Green Cab
- Phone
- +1 831-246-1234
Santa Cruz Yellow Cab
- Phone
- +1 831-423-1234
Reno Sparks Cab Co.
- Phone
- +1 775-333-3333
- Website
- renocab.com
Whittlesea Checker Cab
- Phone
- +1 775-322-2222
- Website
- taxirenotahoe.com
Yellow Cab Co.
- Phone
- +1 775-355-5555
- Website
- yellowcabofreno.com
Reno Sparks Cab Co.
- Phone
- +1 775-333-3333
- Website
- renocab.com
Whittlesea Checker Cab
- Phone
- +1 775-322-2222
- Website
- taxirenotahoe.com
Yellow Cab Co.
- Phone
- +1 775-355-5555
- Website
- yellowcabofreno.com
Reno Sparks Cab Co.
- Phone
- +1 775-333-3333
- Website
- renocab.com
Whittlesea Checker Cab
- Phone
- +1 775-322-2222
- Website
- taxirenotahoe.com
Yellow Cab Co.
- Phone
- +1 775-355-5555
- Website
- yellowcabofreno.com
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