There are 6 ways to get from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara by bus (Amtrak, Flixbus), bus, train, car, or plane
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 Front to Diridon Stationbus 17
- Take the bus from San Jose to Santa Barbarabus Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service
8h 54m$55–164Drive 252.6 mi
cheapest- Drive from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbaracar 252.6 mi
4h 44m$47–67Bus, train
- Take the bus from Front to Diridon Stationbus 17
- Take the train from San Jose to Santa Barbaratrain Coast Starlight
9h 35m$110–224Bus, Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Take the bus from Front to Diridon Stationbus
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane SFO - SBA
5h 56m$206–467Bus to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- Take the bus from Front to Diridon Stationbus
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane SJC - LAX
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
8h 34m$153–706Bus, train to Oakland International Airport, fly to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Take the bus from Front to Diridon Stationbus
- Take the train from San Jose to Oakland Coliseum/Airport Amtraktrain
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane OAK - SBA
6h 37m$305–465
Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara is to drive which costs $45 - $70 and takes 4h 44m.
The fastest way to get from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara is to drive which takes 4h 44m and costs $45 - $70.
No, there is no direct bus from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Front and arriving at Santa Barbara via San Jose. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h 54m.
The distance between Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara is 335 miles. The road distance is 254 miles.
The best way to get from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara without a car is to bus which takes 8h 54m and costs $55 - $170.
It takes approximately 8h 54m to get from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara, including transfers.
Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Santa Cruz Metro, depart from Front station.
Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Santa Cruz Metro, arrive at Diridon Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara is 254 miles. It takes approximately 4h 44m to drive from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara.
There are 247+ hotels available in Santa Barbara.
What companies run services between Santa Cruz, CA, USA and Santa Barbara, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Front to Santa Barbara via Diridon Station and San Jose in around 8h 54m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–220
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $35–260
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–220
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–210
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $95–270
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Jose to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 46m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $100–210
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 43m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $30–70
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Jose to Oakland Coliseum/Airport Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 57 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $12–26
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
- Phone
- +1 (831) 425-8600
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 49 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–7
- Website
- Santa Cruz Metro
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from San Jose to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $100–150
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Front to Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–14
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from San Jose to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $45–80
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
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