A hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission including a plurality of friction elements, at least one of the friction elements being supplied with a hydraulic pressure which is so increased as to switch the friction element from a disengagement state to an engagement state, thus transmitting a revolution of an input element of the friction element to an output element of the friction element, the hydraulic control system controlling the hydraulic pressure as a standby pressure in a period from an engagement start point at which an engagement instruction for engaging the friction element is started to an abutment start point at which an abutment between the input element and the output element is started, the hydraulic control system comprising:
- a speed sensor for sensing a speed of the friction element;
- and
- a standby pressure increase section for increasing the standby pressure in accordance with the speed of the friction element sensed with the speed sensor, the increase in the standby pressure being continuous from a termination point at which a pre-charge pressure control is terminated to the abutment start point.