Rome2Rio

How to get fromCarmel to Santa Monicaby taxi, bus, train (Amtrak), car, plane, tram, shuttle, or subway

Find Transport to Santa Monica

See all options

There are 9 ways to get from Carmel to Santa Monica by taxi, bus, train (Amtrak), car, plane, tram, shuttle, or subway

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

  1. Taxi, bus

    best
    1. Take the taxi from Carmel to Gilroy, CA McDonaldstaxi taxi
    2. Take the bus from Gilroy, CA McDonalds to Chinatown Metro Station - Los Angeles, CAbus bus San Jose
    7h 46m
    $189–223
  2. Drive 320.3 mi

    cheapest
    1. Drive from Carmel to Santa Monicacar car 320.3 mi
    5h 38m
    $59–85
  3. Train (Amtrak)

    1. Take the train from Salinas to Los Angelestrain train Coast Starlight
    10h 39m
    $184–327
  4. Line 5 bus to Monterey Regional Airport, fly to Los Angeles International Airport, tram

    1. Take the bus from Rio Rd / The Crossroads Carmel to Monterey Transit Plaza / Gate 3 Pearlbus bus
    2. Fly from Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane plane MRY - LAX
    3. Take the tram from LAX / Metro Transit Center to Expo / Crenshaw K-Line Stationtram tram
    4. Take the tram from Expo / Crenshaw E-Line Station to Downtown Santa Monica Stationtram tram
    5h 24m
    $279–712
  5. Shuttle to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly to Los Angeles International Airport

    1. Take a shuttle bus from Monterey Shuttle Station to SJC Airport Terminal Ashuttle bus
    2. Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane plane SJC - LAX
    6h 40m
    $161–669
  6. Line 5 bus to Monterey Regional Airport, fly to Burbank Bob Hope Airport, subway, tram

    1. Take the bus from Rio Rd / The Crossroads Carmel to Monterey Transit Plaza / Gate 3 Pearlbus bus
    2. Fly from Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR)plane plane MRY - BUR
    3. Take the subway from North Hollywood Station to 7th Street / Metro Center Station - Metro B & D Linessubway subway
    4. Take the tram from 7th Street / Metro Center Station - Metro A & E Lines to Downtown Santa Monica Stationtram tram
    5h 50m
    $439–810
  7. Line 5 bus, shuttle to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly to Burbank Bob Hope Airport, subway, tram

    1. Take the bus from Rio Rd / The Crossroads Carmel to Monterey Transit Plaza / Gate 3 Pearlbus bus
    2. Take a shuttle bus from Monterey Shuttle Station to SJC Airport Terminal Ashuttle bus
    3. Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Burbank Bob Hope Airport (BUR)plane plane SJC - BUR
    4. Take the subway from North Hollywood Station to 7th Street / Metro Center Station - Metro B & D Linessubway subway
    5. Take the tram from 7th Street / Metro Center Station - Metro A & E Lines to Downtown Santa Monica Stationtram tram
    7h 8m
    $531–817
  8. Line 5 bus, shuttle to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly to Long Beach Airport, line 191 bus, tram

    1. Take the bus from Rio Rd / The Crossroads Carmel to Monterey Transit Plaza / Gate 3 Pearlbus bus
    2. Take a shuttle bus from Monterey Shuttle Station to SJC Airport Terminal Ashuttle bus
    3. Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Long Beach Airport (LGB)plane plane SJC - LGB
    4. Take the bus from Del Amo & Lakewood NW to Del Amo Station Bay 3bus bus
    5. Take the tram from Del Amo Station to Pico Stationtram tram
    6. Take the tram from Pico Station to Downtown Santa Monica Stationtram tram
    8h 32m
    $83–269
  9. Line 5 bus to Monterey Regional Airport, fly to John Wayne Airport Orange County, line 76 bus, line 43 bus, bus, tram

    1. Take the bus from Rio Rd / The Crossroads Carmel to Monterey Transit Plaza / Gate 3 Pearlbus bus
    2. Fly from Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA)plane plane MRY - SNA
    3. Take the bus from Airport-Arrival Terminal to Macarthur-Harborbus bus
    4. Take the bus from Harbor-Macarthur to Harbor-East Shuttle Areabus bus
    5. Take the bus from Disneyland Employee's Entrance to Figueroa / Picobus bus
    6. Take the tram from Pico Station to Downtown Santa Monica Stationtram tram
    9h 21m
    $252–764

Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) flights

Calendar27Weekly Planes
Duration2h 32mAverage Duration
Ticket$31Cheapest Price
See schedules

Questions & Answers

What companies run services between Carmel, CA, USA and Santa Monica, CA, USA?

Amtrak operates a train from Salinas to Los Angeles once daily. Tickets cost $110–240 and the journey takes 9h 5m.

Airlines
Train operators
Bus operators
Other operators

Want to know more about travelling around United States

Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.

Related travel guides