<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- - EDGAR Ease Plus 1.0                                   07/25/03  TT    -->
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
   <periodOfReport>2003-10-20</periodOfReport>
   <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001011659</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UNIONBANCAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UB</issuerTradingSymbol>
   </issuer>
   <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001185948</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WALKER ROBERT M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>400 CALIFORNIA STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94104</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
         <isDirector>1</isDirector>
         <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
         <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
         <isOther>0</isOther>
      </reportingOwnerRelationship>
   </reportingOwner>
 <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-10-20</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>15000</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>22.125</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>15000</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>by trust</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-10-20</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>18000</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>18.2917</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>A</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>18000</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>by trust</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-10-20</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>33000</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>52.00</value>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>D</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>0</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>by trust</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>51900</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>by trust</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
   <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>168.3059</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>by 401(k)</value>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
 </nonDerivativeTable>
 <derivativeTable>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Non-qualified Stock Option</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
         <value>18.2917</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-10-20</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>18000</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
            <footnoteId id="F5"/>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>D</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
         <value>2006-03-29</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
         <underlyingSecurityTitle>
           <value>Common Stock</value>
         </underlyingSecurityTitle>
         <underlyingSecurityShares>
           <value>18000</value>
         </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>0</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
           <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
           <value>by trust</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
   <derivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Non-qualified Stock Option</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <conversionOrExercisePrice>
         <value>22.125</value>
      </conversionOrExercisePrice>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-10-20</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>15000</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
            <footnoteId id="F5"/>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>D</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <exerciseDate>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
      </exerciseDate>
      <expirationDate>
         <value>2007-06-01</value>
      </expirationDate>
      <underlyingSecurity>
         <underlyingSecurityTitle>
           <value>Common Stock</value>
         </underlyingSecurityTitle>
         <underlyingSecurityShares>
           <value>15000</value>
         </underlyingSecurityShares>
      </underlyingSecurity>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>0</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
           <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
           <value>by trust</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </derivativeTransaction>
 </derivativeTable>
   <footnotes>
      <footnote id="F1"> Robert and Judith Walker Trust</footnote>

      <footnote id="F2"> Shares held in the Union Bank of California 401(k) Plan as of 09/30/03.</footnote>

      <footnote id="F3"> Option vested in three equal annual installments on 03/29/97, 03/29/98, 03/29/99</footnote>

      <footnote id="F4"> Option vested in three equal annual installments on 06/01/98, 06/01/99, 06/01/00</footnote>

      <footnote id="F5"> Not Applicable</footnote>
   </footnotes>
   <ownerSignature>
      <signatureName>Robert M. Walker</signatureName>
      <signatureDate>2003-10-21</signatureDate>
   </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

