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Cheap bus tickets from Los Angeles to San Diego

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4.8 Rating

5k Reviews

4.5 Rating

4.8k Reviews

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Los Angeles to San Diego Bus Schedule

Is it better to travel by bus or train from Los Angeles to San Diego?

There are usually 48 daily train trips available from Los Angeles to San Diego.

Bus
Train
Avg. Price
Avg. Price
$38.21
Avg. Price
$42.34
Daily Trips
Daily Trips
83
Daily Trips
48
Duration
Duration
4h 11m
Duration
4h 9m

Bus from Los Angeles to San Diego: Journey Information

There are 93 intercity buses per day from Los Angeles to San Diego. Traveling by bus from Los Angeles to San Diego usually takes around 3 hours and 55 minutes, but the fastest Tufesa Internacional bus can make the trip in just one hour and 45 minutes.

Distance111 mi (179 km)
Shortest duration1h 45m
Cheapest price$20.47
Trips per day76
Most frequent serviceLos Limousines
Bus lines6

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Bus Trip Reviews from Wanderu Customers

Average score for buses from Los Angeles to San Diego

(Based on 25 ratings and reviews)

4.5

4.0

randolph

December 23, 2025- Solo travel

Futura Net

Price and customer service, just one hiccup when the bus was unboarded and passengers split up between two vans at the stop after DTLA.

5.0

Luisa

November 16, 2025- Visiting family

Amtrak Thruway

Everything good. Just perfect! 👌 Thank you

4.0

Cyndi

August 25, 2025- Solo travel

Futura Net

Pros: Differently a good choice. Cons: It would have been nice to have the correct address. I was supposed to be there at 5 am downtown LA, it was dark and scary, thank goodness the girl called me to see where I was, I was on 7th street and I was supposed to be around the corner on main street. She took a picture of my paperwork showing the wrong address and said she’d report it.

5.0

Catherine

July 18, 2025- Visiting family

FlixBus US

Pros: Bus was very comfortable, generally felt safe both at dropoff and pickup! This was my 3rd trip with Flixbus, was most satisfied with this one out of the 3 between San Diego and LA. Cons: I think the bus had a driver trainee driving. She did a great job! But I think the driver made a few mistakes (missed a turnoff in LA), and I didn't know that there would be multiple stops along the route in LA. If the company informs passengers of these stops beforehand, this would be better! I didn't know about WiFi available onboard. Tips: Arrived ~15-20 minutes late! Not bad, but this affected plans for after.

2.0

Jennifer

October 5, 2024- Solo travel

FlixBus US

Pros: On time. Cons: There was no AC the entire 4 hour trip, during a heat wave . It was hot and sweaty and smelly. Tips: As long as ac works, it’s worth the trip.

Los Angeles to San Diego Route Map

Los Angeles San Diego
See more details

How much is a bus ticket from Los Angeles to San Diego?

Bus tickets for a trip from Los Angeles to San Diego cost $36.54 on average. Opting to take a bus is a wallet-friendly way to make this trip. If you book your trip ahead of time using Wanderu, you can easily find bus tickets at or below this price.

Average bus ticket prices from Los Angeles to San Diego by travel date

$45$30$15MarApr

If you're planning to travel by bus from Los Angeles to San Diego in the next month, the average ticket price is expected to range from $36 to $42. The cheapest bus tickets available in the next few weeks are for trips departing on April 7, 2026.

If you’re looking to travel to San Diego this week, bus tickets are available starting at $36.

Average bus ticket prices from Los Angeles to San Diego by month

$50$40$30$20$10AMJJASONDJFM
Taking the bus from Los Angeles to San Diego is usually cheapest in October, when the average ticket price is only $32. If you're planning to take the bus from Los Angeles to San Diego during May, keep in mind that bus ticket prices may be higher than usual, with an average price of $44. However, booking your trip in advance can help you score a ticket at a better price.

Prices as travel date approaches

$50$40$30$20$103020100

Most bus companies charge higher ticket prices closer to the date of travel, so it’s a good idea to buy your bus tickets as early as possible. To find the cheapest bus tickets, book your trip at least 24 days in advance. This way, you can save up to $9.16 on your bus ticket compared to booking last-minute.

What bus companies travel from Los Angeles to San Diego?

There are 6 bus lines from Los Angeles to San Diego available for you to search and compare on Wanderu. With 33 daily trips, Los Limousines usually has the most buses running on any given day. Here are some time and price comparisons for all the available options:

BusDaily TripsAvg. TimeAvg. Price
Amtrak Thruway15h 47m$25.35
FlixBus US234h 3m$35.50
Futura Net232h 50m$44.58
Greyhound145h 27m$47.58
Los Limousines334h 44m$40.44
Tufesa Internacional33h 13m$38.00

  • Amtrak Thruway, also known as Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach, is a system of intercity passenger buses operated by Amtrak to connect train stations to areas that are not served by the carrier’s railroads. On the bus, passengers can enjoy comfortable reclining seats with leg rests and access to onboard restroom facilities. Amtrak Thruway bus tickets from Los Angeles to San Diego start at $25. On average, there are 1 Amtrak Thruway bus trips on this route every day.

  • FlixBus US is the American branch of German bus company FlixBus, known for providing sustainable, affordable, and modern bus travel. The company offers cheap bus tickets to popular urban destinations throughout the United States. FlixBus US buses include many amenities, including comfortable seats, free WiFi, power outlets at every seat, and an online portal for free entertainment. On average, FlixBus US operates 23 trips per day from Los Angeles to San Diego, and the average ticket for this route costs only .

  • Book Futura Net from Los Angeles to San Diego from $37. There are 23 trips per day offered by Futura Net from Los Angeles to San Diego and you can expect on average to pay for a Futura Net ticket to San Diego. In Los Angeles, Futura Net departs to San Diego from Los Angeles East 7th St . In San Diego, Futura Net arrives at Cross Border Xpress CBX and 2 other stations.

    An average trip on Futura Net from Los Angeles to San Diego takes 2 hours and 50 minutes , while the fastest available Futura Net trip will get you to San Diego in 1 hours and 45 minutes .

    On weekends, Futura Net offers 22 trips per day. A one way ticket costs for a weekend trip to San Diego.

  • Greyhound is the largest nationwide bus carrier in the United States, offering cheap, safe and reliable service across the country. Greyhound has become a household name, serving over 16 million passengers per year with daily trips to over 2,400 destinations. Greyhound performs about 14 bus trips from Los Angeles to San Diego every day, with the average journey taking around 5 hours and 27 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to San Diego usually start from $25.

  • Book Los Limousines from Los Angeles to San Diego from $40. There are 33 trips per day offered by Los Limousines from Los Angeles to San Diego and you can expect on average to pay for a Los Limousines ticket to San Diego. In Los Angeles, Los Limousines departs to San Diego from Los Angeles Bus Station and one other station. In San Diego, Los Limousines arrives at Cross Border Xpress CBX and one other station.

    An average trip on Los Limousines from Los Angeles to San Diego takes 4 hours and 44 minutes , while the fastest available Los Limousines trip will get you to San Diego in 1 hours and 45 minutes .

    On weekends, Los Limousines offers 29 trips per day. A one way ticket costs for a weekend trip to San Diego.

  • Book Tufesa Internacional from Los Angeles to San Diego from $38. There are 3 trips per day offered by Tufesa Internacional from Los Angeles to San Diego and you can expect on average to pay for a Tufesa Internacional ticket to San Diego. In Los Angeles, Tufesa Internacional departs to San Diego from 611 Maple Ave . In San Diego, Tufesa Internacional arrives at San Ysidro Bus Terminal .

    An average trip on Tufesa Internacional from Los Angeles to San Diego takes 3 hours and 13 minutes , while the fastest available Tufesa Internacional trip will get you to San Diego in 1 hours and 45 minutes .

    On weekends, Tufesa Internacional offers 3 trips per day. A one way ticket costs for a weekend trip to San Diego.

Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from Los Angeles to San Diego

The average bus takes 3 hours and 55 minutes to travel from LA to San Diego. However, the fastest bus can get you there in 1 hours and 45 minutes. The distance between LA and SD is 111 miles, or 179 kilometers, which makes for a manageable day trip.

If you depart from Union Station in the morning, you will have plenty of time to enjoy San Diego in the daylight. Experience the beautiful beaches and ocean views, as well as famous sites like the San Diego Zoo and the U.S.S. Midway Museum. You can easily spend eight hours in San Diego before heading back to LA.

Because many passengers travel from Los Angeles to San Diego at the beginning of the work week, Monday is usually the busiest day for buses. If you are planning to travel on a Monday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.

On the other hand, Friday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you’re looking for a little extra space, a Friday ticket is the way to go.

The first bus leaves at 12:00am and the last bus leaves at 11:00pm. To see the times for all buses from Los Angeles to San Diego, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.

There are 93 scheduled buses that travel from Los Angeles to San Diego every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. This includes 76 direct buses, where you can stay on the same bus without having to transfer to a connecting bus at any point during your trip.

Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Los Angeles to San Diego; ticket prices start at $35.00.

City Information

Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the undisputed world capital of the entertainment business. Because of that, the City of Angels is where you will find some of the most iconic landmarks of the film and music industries, including the world-famous Walk of Fame and Dolby Theatre (home of the Academy Awards) on Hollywood Boulevard, the easily recognizable Capitol Records building at Hollywood & Vine, and the LA Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles.

The best part of LA is that it has something to offer for people of all interests: outdoor enthusiasts can hike up to the Hollywood sign, fashion aficionados can go shopping in Beverly Hills, art lovers can check out the prominent Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) in the Miracle Mile district, and those looking for a fun night out can go bar-hopping in West Hollywood. Are you a Pokémon GO addict? Well then this is the place for you because LA is the best city to catch the rarest Pokémon in the U.S.. And if you want to want to experience the famed golden coast of Southern California for yourself, head west to Santa Monica and Venice for a refreshing dip in the Pacific Ocean.

With one of the biggest airports on the West Coast and several bus and train stops across the county, Los Angeles makes it easy to travel elsewhere in California, visit the neighboring Nevada, Arizona and Mexico, or take a flight to pretty much any other part of the world.

San Diego

San Diego is known as "America's Finest City" for its sunny weather, white-sand beaches, and dazzling attractions from Belmont Park to SeaWorld. San Diego's 70 miles of pristine beaches include such gems as Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla Cove, and Coronado Beach. The city's strong surfing culture may even inspire you to rent a surfboard and catch the epic waves, bro.

Visitors can spend days getting lost in Balboa Park, a 1,200-acre cultural hub which features 16 museums, immaculate gardens, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. The historic heart of the city, Old Town, showcases San Diego's heritage and ties to Mexican culture, while other sights like the USS Midway pay tribute to the city's military and maritime history. Leave time for some evening exploring, too! San Diego is rated the #1 best city for craft beer in America, so don't miss out on the bars in the Gaslamp Quarter: 16 walkable blocks packed with nightlife and young crowds.

Two airports, as well as many bus and train options, mean it is easy to get to San Diego from afar or from nearby cities like Tijuana, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

Station Information

Where does the bus leave from in Los Angeles?

Main departure station: Los Angeles Bus Station

Buses to San Diego leave from 10 stations in Los Angeles.

All bus stations in Los Angeles:

  • Los Angeles Bus Station

  • Los Angeles East 7th St

  • 800 N Alameda St

  • Downtown - Vignes Lot

  • San Fernando Bus Station

  • North Hollywood Bus Station

  • 611 Maple Ave

  • 592 Gayley Ave

  • USC - 3492 S Hope St

  • 10413 Laurel Canyon Blvd Pacoima

Where does the bus arrive in San Diego?

Main arrival station: San Ysidro Bus Terminal

Buses arrive in San Diego at 9 stations, depending on which bus line you are traveling with.

All bus stations in San Diego:

  • San Ysidro Bus Terminal

  • Cross Border Xpress CBX

  • San Ysidro Transit Center

  • La Jolla - UC San Diego

  • San Diego University Ave

  • 2728 Congress St (Old Town SD)

  • San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop

  • 789 W Harbor Dr - Seaport Village

  • Santa Fe Depot - 1050 Kettner Blvd

Get around town with Moovit

Find the best way to get to and from any station in San Diego by public transit, courtesy of Moovit. Search now

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