There are 11 ways to get from San Diego County to San Francisco by taxi, plane, bus (Greyhound), train (Amtrak), car, tram, subway, train, or bus
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 Mcclellan–Palomar Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport
best- Take the taxi from San Diego County to Carlsbad-Airport-CLDtaxi
- Fly from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane CLD - SFO
3h 14m$231–467Drive 511.3 mi
cheapest- Drive from San Diego County to San Franciscocar 511.3 mi
8h 51m$94–135Bus (Greyhound)
- Take the bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to Oaklandbus Greyhound US0831
13h 20m$176–283Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from San Diego Old Town Transportation Center to Los Angelestrain Pacific Surfliner
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Oaklandtrain Coast Starlight
17h 44m$277–528Taxi, tram to San Diego International Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport
- Take the taxi from San Diego County to El Cajon Stationtaxi
- Take the tram from El Cajon Station to Old Town Stationtram
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SAN - SFO
4h 35m$168–371Taxi, tram to San Diego International Airport, fly to Oakland International Airport, BART
- Take the taxi from San Diego County to El Cajon Stationtaxi
- Take the tram from El Cajon Station to Old Town Stationtram
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane SAN - OAK
- Take the subway from Coliseum to Powell Streetsubway
4h 49m$164–407Taxi to Mcclellan–Palomar Airport, fly to Oakland International Airport
- Take the taxi from San Diego County to Carlsbad-Airport-CLDtaxi
- Fly from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane CLD - OAK
3h 15m$247–583Drive to Palm Springs International Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport
- Drive from San Diego County to Indio-Palm-Springs-Airport-PSPcar
- Fly from Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane PSP - SFO
4h 46m$149–361Fly San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, Caltrain
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane SAN - SJC
- Take the train from Santa Clara Caltrain Northbound to San Francisco Caltrain Northboundtrain
5h 51m$181–624Train, bus
- Take the train from Oceanside to L.A. Union Stationtrain OC Line
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Union Station to San Franciscobus FlixBus 2005
15h 15m$129–196Train via Oceanside (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Oceanside to Simi Valley Amtraktrain Pacific Surfliner
- Take the train from Simi Valley Amtrak to Oaklandtrain Coast Starlight
18h 24m$220–433
Mcclellan–Palomar Airport (CLD) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Diego County to San Francisco is to drive which costs $90 - $140 and takes 8h 51m.
The fastest way to get from San Diego County to San Francisco is to taxi and fly which takes 3h 14m and costs $230 - $470.
No, there is no direct bus from San Diego County to San Francisco. However, there are services departing from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop and arriving at Oakland via . The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h 20m.
No, there is no direct train from San Diego County station to San Francisco. However, there are services departing from El Cajon Station and arriving at Civic Center / UN Plaza via San Diego Old Town Transportation Center, Los Angeles and Lake Merritt. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 17h 44m.
The distance between San Diego County and San Francisco is 479 miles. The road distance is 514.3 miles.
The best way to get from San Diego County to San Francisco without a car is to bus which takes 13h 20m and costs $170 - $290.
It takes approximately 3h 14m to get from San Diego County to San Francisco, including transfers.
San Diego County to San Francisco bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop station.
San Diego County to San Francisco train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from San Diego Old Town Transportation Center station.
The best way to get from San Diego County to San Francisco is to bus which takes 13h 20m and costs $170 - $290. Alternatively, you can train, which costs $270 - $550 and takes 17h 44m.
What companies run services between San Diego County, CA, USA and San Francisco, CA, USA?
Greyhound USA operates a bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to Oakland once daily. Tickets cost $75–150 and the journey takes 10h 55m. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from San Diego County to Civic Center / UN Plaza via El Cajon Station, Old Town Station, San Diego Old Town Transportation Center, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Lake Merritt in around 17h 44m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–220
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $50–320
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $50–310
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $60–350
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 44m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–250
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–270
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–320
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–480
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–240
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–220
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 26m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $35–220
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–240
Flights from Palm Springs International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–250
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–190
- Website
- jsx.com
Flights from Mcclellan–Palomar Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $60–360
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Diego Old Town Transportation Center to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 47m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $35–85
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $140–310
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Oceanside to Simi Valley Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 13m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $35–80
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Simi Valley Amtrak to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 17m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $130–280
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +1 619-557-4555
- Website
- MTS
Tram from El Cajon Station to Old Town Station
- Ave. Duration
- 38 min
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–15
- Website
- MTS
- Schedules at
- MTS Schedules
Tram from El Cajon Station to Old Town Station
- Ave. Duration
- 38 min
- Frequency
- Every 20 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–15
- Website
- MTS
- Schedules at
- MTS Schedules
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- BART
Subway from Coliseum to Powell Street
- Ave. Duration
- 23 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $3–5
- Website
- BART
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from Santa Clara Caltrain Northbound to San Francisco Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 12m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $9–12
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $9–12
- Phone
- (800) 371-LINK (5465)
- Website
- Metrolink Trains
Train from Oceanside to L.A. Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 2m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $12–17
- Website
- Metrolink Trains
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $75–150
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Los Angeles Union Station to San Francisco
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 55m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $65–110
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Estimated price
- $95–220
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More Questions & Answers
San Diego County to San Francisco bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Oakland station.
San Diego County to San Francisco train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Los Angeles station.
Yes, the driving distance between San Diego County to San Francisco is 514 miles. It takes approximately 8h 51m to drive from San Diego County to San Francisco.
There are 736+ hotels available in San Francisco.



















