There are 7 ways to get from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa by bus (Flixbus), train (Amtrak), car, plane, bus, train, or ferry
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus
best- Take the bus from San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum to San Franciscobus FlixBus 2005
- Take the bus from Perry St & 3rd St to Santa Rosa Transit Mallbus 172
7h 57m$47–75Train
- Take the train from San Luis Obispo to Oaklandtrain Coast Starlight
- Take the train from SMART San Rafael to SMART Santa Rosa Downtowntrain Smart
9h 17m$89–179Drive 281.4 mi
- Drive from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosacar 281.4 mi
4h 56m$52–75Fly from San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, bus, train
- Fly from San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SBP - SFO
- Take the bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoffbus
- Take the train from SMART Larkspur to SMART Santa Rosa Downtowntrain
5h 38m$184–440Bus, train
- Take the bus from San Luis Obispo to Oaklandbus Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service
- Take the train from SMART San Rafael to SMART Santa Rosa Downtowntrain Smart
9h 6m$97–144Train, Caltrain, ferry
- Take the train from San Luis Obispo to San Josetrain
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to San Francisco Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Take the ferry from Oracle Park Ferry Terminal to Larkspur Ferry Terminalferry
- Take the train from SMART Larkspur to SMART Santa Rosa Downtowntrain
9h 45m$89–168Bus to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, fly, bus, train
- Take the bus from San Luis Obispo to Uc Santa Barbara Amtrak Bus Stopbus
- Fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SBA - SFO
- Take the bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoffbus
- Take the train from SMART Larkspur to SMART Santa Rosa Downtowntrain
8h 12m$260–523
San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa by bus and foot
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa is to bus which costs $45 - $75 and takes 7h 57m.
The fastest way to get from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa is to drive which takes 4h 56m and costs $50 - $75.
No, there is no direct bus from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa. However, there are services departing from San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum and arriving at Santa Rosa Transit Mall via Perry St & 3rd St. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 7h 57m.
No, there is no direct train from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa. However, there are services departing from San Luis Obispo and arriving at SMART Santa Rosa Downtown via Lake Merritt and SMART San Rafael. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 9h 17m.
The distance between San Luis Obispo and Santa Rosa is 295 miles. The road distance is 283 miles.
The best way to get from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa without a car is to bus which takes 7h 57m and costs $45 - $75.
It takes approximately 7h 57m to get from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa, including transfers.
San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, depart from San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum station.
San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from San Luis Obispo station.
The best way to get from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa is to bus which takes 7h 57m and costs $45 - $75. Alternatively, you can train, which costs $85 - $180 and takes 9h 17m.
What companies run services between San Luis Obispo, CA, USA and Santa Rosa, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum to Santa Rosa Transit Mall via San Francisco and Perry St & 3rd St in around 7h 57m. Alternatively, you can take a train from San Luis Obispo to SMART Santa Rosa Downtown via Oakland, Lake Merritt, Montgomery Street, Mission St & 2nd St, San Rafael Transit Center-Platform B, and SMART San Rafael in around 9h 17m.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $21–150
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $23–150
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from San Luis Obispo to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 1m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $75–160
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from San Luis Obispo to San Jose
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 41m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–140
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 707-794-3330
- Website
- sonomamarintrain.org
Train from SMART San Rafael to SMART Santa Rosa Downtown
- Ave. Duration
- 59 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $1–7
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
Train from SMART Larkspur to SMART Santa Rosa Downtown
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $1–7
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
Train from SMART San Rafael to SMART Santa Rosa Downtown
- Ave. Duration
- 59 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $1–7
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
Train from SMART Larkspur to SMART Santa Rosa Downtown
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $1–7
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
Train from SMART Larkspur to SMART Santa Rosa Downtown
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $1–7
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
- Website
- https://sonomamarintrain.org/
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- caltrain.com
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to San Francisco Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $9–12
- Website
- https://www.caltrain.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.caltrain.com/?active_tab=route_explorer_tab
- One-way Adult
- $9–12
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.com
Bus from San Luis Obispo Railroad Museum to San Francisco
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 35m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $35–60
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Phone
- +1 415-921-5858
- [email protected]
- Website
- goldengate.org
Bus from Perry St & 3rd St to Santa Rosa Transit Mall
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 9m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–15
- Website
- https://www.goldengate.org/
- Adult
- $10–15
- 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
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 Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Bus from San Luis Obispo to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $85–130
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Bus from San Luis Obispo to Uc Santa Barbara Amtrak Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $35–55
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 415-455-2000
- [email protected]
- Website
- goldengate.org
Ferry from Oracle Park Ferry Terminal to Larkspur Ferry Terminal
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $14–16
- Website
- https://www.goldengate.org
- Schedules at
- https://www.goldengate.org/ferry/schedules-maps/
- Adult
- $14
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More Questions & Answers
San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, arrive at San Francisco station.
San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Oakland station.
Yes, the driving distance between San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa is 283 miles. It takes approximately 4h 56m to drive from San Luis Obispo to Santa Rosa.
There are 286+ hotels available in Santa Rosa.

















