There are 11 ways to get from Chicago to Southern California by plane, bus, car, train, taxi, or bus (Greyhound)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Palm Springs International Airport, bus, drive
best- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP)plane ORD - PSP
- Take the bus from Palm Springs Airport to Hwy 62 & Kickapoobus
- Drive from Hwy 62 & Kickapoo to Southern Californiacar
10h 26m$188–402Train, taxi (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Victorville Amtraktrain Southwest Chief
- Take the taxi from Victorville Amtrak to Southern Californiataxi
42h 6m$717–1,434Bus (Greyhound)
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Denver Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Denver Union Station to Las Vegas Bus Terminalbus
- Take the bus from Las Vegas Bus Terminal to Barstow Stationbus
43h 14m$340–616Drive 1,901.9 mi
- Drive from Chicago to Southern Californiacar 1,901.9 mi
30h 49m$348–502Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport, bus
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)plane MDW - LAS
- Take the bus from South Strip Transit Terminal to Barstow Amtrak Bus Stopbus
11h 4m$246–509Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, bus
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane MDW - LAX
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Downtown to Barstow Stationbus
11h 31m$240–739Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Ontario International Airport, bus
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Ontario International Airport (ONT)plane MDW - ONT
- Take the bus from San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center to Barstow Stationbus
11h 28m$264–878Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Ontario International Airport, bus
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Ontario International Airport (ONT)plane ORD - ONT
- Take the bus from San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center to Barstow Stationbus
11h 56m$224–538Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County, train, taxi
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA)plane ORD - SNA
- Take the train from Fullerton Amtrak Station to Victorville Amtraktrain
- Take the taxi from Victorville Amtrak to Southern Californiataxi
14h 19m$370–674Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to San Diego International Airport, train, bus
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane MDW - SAN
- Take the train from San Diego to Santa Anatrain
- Take the bus from Santa Ana Bus Stop to Barstow Stationbus
14h 29m$290–945Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Diego International Airport, train, bus
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane ORD - SAN
- Take the train from San Diego to Santa Anatrain
- Take the bus from Santa Ana Bus Stop to Barstow Stationbus
14h 55m$250–745
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Chicago to Southern California is to fly and bus and drive which costs $180 - $410 and takes 10h 26m.
The fastest way to get from Chicago to Southern California is to fly and bus and drive which takes 10h 26m and costs $180 - $410.
No, there is no direct bus from Chicago station to Southern California station. However, there are services departing from Chicago Bus Station and arriving at Barstow Station via Denver Union Station and Las Vegas Bus Terminal. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 43h 14m.
The distance between Chicago and Southern California is 1769 miles. The road distance is 1913 miles.
The best way to get from Chicago to Southern California without a car is to train and taxi which takes 42h 6m and costs $700 - $1,500.
It takes approximately 10h 26m to get from Chicago to Southern California, including transfers.
Chicago to Southern California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Chicago Bus Station.
Chicago to Southern California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Denver Union Station.
Southern California is 2h behind Chicago. It is currently 7:47 PM in Chicago and 5:47 PM in Southern California.
Yes, the driving distance between Chicago to Southern California is 1913 miles. It takes approximately 30h 49m to drive from Chicago to Southern California.
What companies run services between Chicago, IL, USA and Southern California, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Chicago Bus Station to Southern California via Denver Union Station, Las Vegas Bus Terminal, and Barstow Station in around 43h 14m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 27m
- When
- Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport via Albuquerque
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $150–700
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 29m
- When
- Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport via Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 25m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Harry Reid International Airport via Omaha
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 25m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 58m
- When
- Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Harry Reid International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 6m
- When
- Sunday, Saturday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ontario International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Monday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Harry Reid International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 2m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $190–800
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Tucson
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $180–800
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Chicago Union Station to Victorville Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 39h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $550–1,300
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Fullerton Amtrak Station to Victorville Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 16m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $24–55
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Diego to Santa Ana
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 1m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $24–55
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Diego to Santa Ana
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 1m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $24–55
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- 760 366 2395
- [email protected]
- Website
- basin-transit.com
Bus from Palm Springs Airport to Hwy 62 & Kickapoo
- Ave. Duration
- 53 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $5–10
- Website
- basin-transit.com
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 11m
- Estimated price
- $150–190
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