There are 9 ways to get from San Francisco to San Diego by plane, subway, bus, train, train (Amtrak), car, shuttle, 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 from San Francisco International Airport
best- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane SFO - SAN
2h 57m$70–242BART, bus, train
- Take the subway from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Berryessa / North San Josesubway
- Take the bus from San Jose, CA - Huong Lan Sandwich to Los Angeles, CA - Chinatown Stationbus
- Take the train from Los Angeles to San Diegotrain
12h 22m$97–163Caltrain, train
- Take the train from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
- Take the train from San Jose to Los Angelestrain
- Take the train from Los Angeles to San Diegotrain
16h 54m$180–377Drive 501.2 mi
- Drive from San Francisco to San Diegocar 501.2 mi
8h 25m$92–133Fly from Oakland International Airport
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane OAK - SAN
3h 1m$81–268Caltrain to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly
- Take the train from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound to Santa Clara Caltrain Southboundtrain
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane SJC - SAN
3h 55m$82–514Shuttle to Sonoma County Airport, fly
- Take a shuttle bus from San Francisco Pier 27 to Santa Rosa Airport
- Fly from Sonoma County Airport (STS) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane STS - SAN
4h 25m$165–300BART, bus
- Take the subway from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Berryessa / North San Josesubway Green-N
- Take the bus from San Jose - King Rd to San Ysidrobus San Jose
13h 22m$103–151Bus (Greyhound)
- Take the bus from San Francisco Bus Station to San Diego Greyhound Bus Stopbus Greyhound US0831
13h 26m$75–150
San Francisco to San Diego by subway, bus, and train
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Francisco to San Diego is to bus which costs $75 - $150 and takes 13h 26m.
The fastest way to get from San Francisco to San Diego is to fly which takes 2h 57m and costs $70 - $250.
No, there is no direct bus from San Francisco station to San Diego. However, there are services departing from San Francisco Bus Station and arriving at San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop via . The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h 26m.
No, there is no direct train from San Francisco to San Diego. However, there are services departing from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound and arriving at San Diego via San Jose and Los Angeles. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 16h 54m.
The distance between San Francisco and San Diego is 463 miles. The road distance is 504.1 miles.
The best way to get from San Francisco to San Diego without a car is to BART and bus and train which takes 12h 22m and costs $95 - $170.
It takes approximately 2h 57m to get from San Francisco to San Diego, including transfers.
San Francisco to San Diego bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Francisco Bus Station.
San Francisco to San Diego train services, operated by Caltrain, depart from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound station.
The best way to get from San Francisco to San Diego is to fly which takes 2h 57m and costs $70 - $250. Alternatively, you can Caltrain and train, which costs $180 - $380 and takes 16h 54m, you could also bus, which costs $75 - $150 and takes 13h 26m.
What companies run services between San Francisco, CA, USA and San Diego, CA, USA?
Alaska Airlines, Inc., Frontier Airlines, and two other airlines fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) hourly. Alternatively, you can take a train from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound to San Diego via San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound, San Jose, and Los Angeles in around 16h 54m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $50–290
Flights from Oakland International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–360
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–330
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $70–380
Flights from Sonoma County Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–250
Flights from Sonoma County Airport to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $50–280
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–250
Flights from Oakland International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 36m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–260
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–500
Flights from Sonoma County Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–240
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $50–290
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–190
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–330
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- BART
Subway from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Berryessa / North San Jose
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $8–12
- Website
- BART
Subway from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Berryessa / North San Jose
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $8–12
- Website
- BART
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 57m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $40–85
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Jose to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $130–280
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 57m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $40–85
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $9–12
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $9–12
Train from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound to Santa Clara Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $9–12
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $9–12
- Phone
- +1 714-839-3500
- [email protected]
- Website
- Hoang Bus
Bus from San Jose, CA - Huong Lan Sandwich to Los Angeles, CA - Chinatown Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $45–60
- Book at
- GoToBus - Hoang Express
- Website
- Hoang Bus
- Adult One-way
- $45–60
- Phone
- +1 707-837-8700
- Website
- Groome Transportation
Shuttle from San Francisco Pier 27 to Santa Rosa Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $25–65
- Website
- Groome Transportation
- First Passenger
- $25–65
- Phone
- +1 833 766 3553
- Website
- Tufesa
Bus from San Jose - King Rd to San Ysidro
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $90–120
- Schedules at
- Tufesa
- Adult One way
- $90–120
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from San Francisco Bus Station to San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 15m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $75–150
- Website
- Greyhound
Want to know more about travelling around United States
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More Questions & Answers
San Francisco to San Diego bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop station.
San Francisco to San Diego train services, operated by Caltrain, arrive at San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound station.
Yes, the driving distance between San Francisco to San Diego is 504 miles. It takes approximately 8h 25m to drive from San Francisco to San Diego.
Book your San Francisco to San Diego train tickets online with Omio.
Book your San Francisco to San Diego bus tickets online with Omio.
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