There are 8 ways to get from Santa Barbara to San Francisco by plane, subway, bus, train, night bus or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Recommended option
Fly Santa Barbara to San Francisco • 2h 49m
Cheapest option
Train • 9h 20m
6 alternative options
Bus to Los Angeles, fly to Oakland • 5h 39m
Train to Burbank, fly to Oakland • 5h 48m
Amtrak Thruway • 7h 40m
Night bus, Caltrain • 8h 21m
Drive • 5h 46m
Santa Barbara to San Francisco by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is to Amtrak Thruway which costs $30 - $100 and takes 7h 40m.
The fastest way to get from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is to fly which takes 2h 49m and costs $160 - $370.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Santa Barbara Amtrak Station station and arriving at San Francisco Salesforce Plaza. Services depart once daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 7h 40m.
No, there is no direct train from Santa Barbara to San Francisco. However, there are services departing from Santa Barbara and arriving at Civic Center / UN Plaza via Lake Merritt. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 9h 20m.
The distance between Santa Barbara and San Francisco is 288 miles. The road distance is 339.1 miles.
The best way to get from Santa Barbara to San Francisco without a car is to Amtrak Thruway which takes 7h 40m and costs $30 - $100.
It takes approximately 2h 49m to get from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, including transfers.
Santa Barbara to San Francisco bus services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Santa Barbara Amtrak Station.
Santa Barbara to San Francisco train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Santa Barbara station.
The best way to get from Santa Barbara to San Francisco is to fly which takes 2h 49m and costs $160 - $370. Alternatively, you can Amtrak Thruway, which costs $30 - $100 and takes 7h 40m, you could also train, which costs $17 - $150 and takes 9h 20m.
- Distance: 287.6 miles
- Duration: 2h 49m
What companies run services between Santa Barbara, CA, USA and San Francisco, CA, USA?
United Airlines flies from Santa Barbara to San Francisco 3 times a day. Alternatively, Amtrak operates a bus from Santa Barbara Amtrak Station to San Francisco Salesforce Plaza once daily, and the journey takes 7h 40m. Flixbus USA also services this route 4 times a week.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Santa Barbara to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95 - $330
Flights from Los Angeles to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85 - $340
Flights from Burbank to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90 - $310
- Website
- spirit.com
Flights from Los Angeles to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55 - $310
Flights from Burbank to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80 - $430
- Website
- jsx.com
Flights from Burbank to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30 - $260
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Santa Barbara to San Francisco
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120 - $380
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Los Angeles to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90 - $350
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from Coliseum to Civic Center / UN Plaza
- Ave. Duration
- 25 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $3 - $5
- Website
- http://www.bart.gov
Amtrak is a rail service that connects the US and three Canadian provinces. Covering 21,000 route miles (34,000km) Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily. These medium and long distance intercity services operate at speeds of up to 240km/h, to more than 500 destinations. Founded in 1971, it is based in Washington, D.C. and offers four classes of travel: First Class, Sleeper, Business and Coach. Ticket fares are divided into five subclasses: Saver, Value, Flexible, Business and Premium. Amtrak trains are known for their wide seats, plug-in power, big windows and storage capabilities.
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Santa Barbara to Burbank Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 26m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $3 - $75
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Child Coach - Advance Purchase
- $3 - $23
- Child Coach - short notice
- $13 - $24
- Child Business Class - advance purchase
- $13 - $45
- Child Business Class - short notice
- $15 - $50
- Coach Seat - Advance Purchase
- $19 - $30
- Business Seat - advance purchase
- $29 - $90
- Business Seat - short notice
- $30 - $75
- Coach Seat - short notice
- $12 - $75
Train from Santa Barbara to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $15 - $140
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Child Coach - Advance Purchase
- $15 - $55
- Child Coach - short notice
- $30 - $50
- Child Business Class - advance purchase
- $28 - $90
- Child Business Class - short notice
- $30 - $90
- Coach Seat - Advance Purchase
- $40 - $90
- Business Seat - advance purchase
- $55 - $180
- Business Seat - short notice
- $60 - $170
- Coach Seat - short notice
- $40 - $140
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- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- caltrain.com
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to San Francisco Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 39m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $9 - $12
- Website
- http://www.caltrain.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.caltrain.com/schedules.html
- One-way Senior / Disabled / Youth / Medicare Cardholder
- $4 - $6
- One-way Adult
- $9 - $12
- Phone
- +1 800-470-8818
- cclax@cclax.com
- Website
- centralcoastshuttle.com
Bus from Santa Barbara, CA to Los Angeles Airport, CA
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $65 - $85
- Schedules at
- centralcoastshuttle.com
- one way non-prepaid
- $75 - $85
- One-way prepaid 48 hours advance
- $65 - $80
Amtrak is a rail service that connects the US and three Canadian provinces. Covering 21,000 route miles (34,000km) Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily. These medium and long distance intercity services operate at speeds of up to 240km/h, to more than 500 destinations. Founded in 1971, it is based in Washington, D.C. and offers four classes of travel: First Class, Sleeper, Business and Coach. Ticket fares are divided into five subclasses: Saver, Value, Flexible, Business and Premium. Amtrak trains are known for their wide seats, plug-in power, big windows and storage capabilities.
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Bus from Santa Barbara Amtrak Station to San Francisco Salesforce Plaza
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Night bus from Santa Barbara to San Jose
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from Santa Barbara Bus Stop to San Francisco
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $30 - $100
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Adult
- $30 - $100
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Santa Barbara to San Francisco bus services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at San Francisco Salesforce Plaza station.
Santa Barbara to San Francisco train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Oakland station.
Yes, the driving distance between Santa Barbara to San Francisco is 339 miles. It takes approximately 5h 46m to drive from Santa Barbara to San Francisco.
Book your Santa Barbara to San Francisco bus tickets online with FlixBus.
There are 822+ hotels available in San Francisco. Prices start at $74 USD per night.