There are 8 ways to get from San Diego to San Rafael by plane, bus, bus (Greyhound), train (Amtrak), car, 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.
Fly to San Francisco International Airport, bus
best- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SAN - SFO
- Take the bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoffbus
3h 6m$100–275Bus (Greyhound)
cheapest- Take the bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to San Francisco Bus Stationbus Greyhound US0831
13h 42m$88–162Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from San Diego to Los Angelestrain Pacific Surfliner
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Oaklandtrain Coast Starlight
16h 53m$200–406Drive 511.5 mi
- Drive from San Diego to San Rafaelcar 511.5 mi
8h 34m$94–135Fly to Oakland International Airport, bus
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane SAN - OAK
- Take the bus from Oakland International Airport to San Rafaelbus
3h 15m$231–307Fly to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, BART
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane SAN - SJC
- Take the subway from Milpitas to El Cerrito Del Nortesubway
4h 25m$90–285Fly to Sonoma County Airport, bus
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Sonoma County Airport (STS)plane SAN - STS
- Take the bus from Sonoma Co Airport Terminal to San Rafaelbus
4h 15m$173–277Bus, BART
- Take the bus from San Ysidro to San Jose - King Rdbus San Ysidro
- Take the subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Montgomery Streetsubway Green-S
15h 5m$108–161
San Diego to San Rafael by tram and bus (Greyhound)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Diego to San Rafael is to bus which costs $85 - $170 and takes 13h 42m.
The fastest way to get from San Diego to San Rafael is to fly and bus which takes 3h 6m and costs $100 - $280.
No, there is no direct bus from San Diego to San Rafael. However, there are services departing from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop and arriving at San Rafael Transit Center-Platform B via Salesforce Transit Center-Bus Plaza Bay A. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h 42m.
No, there is no direct train from San Diego to San Rafael. However, there are services departing from San Diego and arriving at Montgomery Street via Los Angeles and Lake Merritt. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 16h 53m.
The distance between San Diego and San Rafael is 480 miles. The road distance is 514.5 miles.
The best way to get from San Diego to San Rafael without a car is to bus which takes 13h 42m and costs $85 - $170.
It takes approximately 3h 6m to get from San Diego to San Rafael, including transfers.
San Diego to San Rafael bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop station.
San Diego to San Rafael train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from San Diego station.
The best way to get from San Diego to San Rafael is to bus which takes 13h 42m and costs $85 - $170. Alternatively, you can train, which costs $200 - $410 and takes 16h 53m.
What companies run services between San Diego, CA, USA and San Rafael, CA, USA?
Greyhound USA operates a bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to San Francisco Bus Station once daily. Tickets cost $80–160 and the journey takes 11h 25m. Alternatively, you can take a train from San Diego to San Rafael Transit Center-Platform B via Los Angeles, Oakland, Lake Merritt, Montgomery Street, and Mission St & 2nd St in around 16h 53m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–230
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–370
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–350
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
- $75–400
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Sonoma County Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–200
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Sonoma County Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 15m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $40–220
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–250
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–260
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–270
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Sonoma County Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–230
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–230
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 26m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $40–230
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–190
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 56m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $40–230
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from San Diego to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 56m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $40–85
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Los Angeles to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $150–310
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from Milpitas to El Cerrito Del Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $8–11
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
Subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Montgomery Street
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $8–12
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
- Phone
- +1 415-461-4222
- Website
- marinairporter.com
Bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoff
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $32
- Website
- https://marinairporter.com/
- Adult One-way
- $32
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to San Francisco Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $80–160
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 707-837-8700
- Website
- groometransportation.com
Bus from Oakland International Airport to San Rafael
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- $25–55
- Website
- https://groometransportation.com/sonoma-county/
- First Passenger
- $25–55
Bus from Sonoma Co Airport Terminal to San Rafael
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- $25–55
- Website
- https://groometransportation.com/sonoma-county/
- First Passenger
- $25–55
- Phone
- +1 833 766 3553
- Website
- tufesainternacional.com
Bus from San Ysidro to San Jose - King Rd
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $90–120
- Schedules at
- tufesainternacional.com
- Adult One way
- $90–120
Want to know more about travelling around United States
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More Questions & Answers
San Diego to San Rafael bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at San Francisco Bus Station.
San Diego to San Rafael train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Los Angeles station.
Yes, the driving distance between San Diego to San Rafael is 515 miles. It takes approximately 8h 34m to drive from San Diego to San Rafael.
There are 459+ hotels available in San Rafael.



















