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Cheap bus tickets from San Diego to Modesto

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San Diego to Modesto Bus Schedule

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

There are usually 2 daily train trips available from San Diego to Modesto.

Bus
Train
Avg. Price
Avg. Price
$84.11
Avg. Price
$79.33
Daily Trips
Daily Trips
13
Daily Trips
2
Duration
Duration
15h 3m
Duration
11h 43m

Bus from San Diego to Modesto: Journey Information

There are 20 intercity buses per day from San Diego to Modesto. Traveling by bus from San Diego to Modesto usually takes around 14 hours and 43 minutes, but the fastest Los Limousines bus can make the trip in 9 hours and 20 minutes.

Distance403 mi (649 km)
Shortest duration9h 20m
Cheapest price$55.47
Trips per day5
Most frequent serviceGreyhound
Bus lines3

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How much is a bus ticket from San Diego to Modesto?

Bus tickets for a trip from San Diego to Modesto cost $71.84 on average. While it’s a bit pricey for a bus ticket, it’s still significantly more cost-effective than flying. 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 San Diego to Modesto by travel date

$105$70$35JanJan

Over the next four weeks, the average price of bus tickets from San Diego to Modesto is expected to be between $67 and $95. The cheapest day to travel in the next month is January 29, 2025, when tickets are available for January 29, 2025. The cheapest bus tickets available in the next week start at just $72.

Prices as travel date approaches

$125$100$75$50$253020100

To save money on bus tickets, buy them as early as possible. Bus carriers usually charge higher ticket prices the closer you book to the date of travel. Book your ticket at least 29 days in advance to save up to $55.74.

What bus companies travel from San Diego to Modesto?

There are 3 bus lines from San Diego to Modesto available for you to search and compare on Wanderu. With 9 daily trips, Greyhound 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
FlixBus US1414h 2m$122.02
Greyhound913h 48m$92.33
Los Limousines422h 26m$78.82
  • 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 14 trips per day from San Diego to Modesto, and the average ticket for this route costs only .

  • 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 9 bus trips from San Diego to Modesto every day, with the average journey taking around 13 hours and 48 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to Modesto usually start from $55.

  • Book Los Limousines from San Diego to Modesto from $73. There are 4 trips per day offered by Los Limousines from San Diego to Modesto and you can expect on average to pay for a Los Limousines ticket to Modesto. In San Diego, Los Limousines departs to Modesto from Cross Border Xpress CBX and one other station. In Modesto, Los Limousines arrives at Modesto Bus Station .

    An average trip on Los Limousines from San Diego to Modesto takes 22 hours and 26 minutes , while the fastest available Los Limousines trip will get you to Modesto in 9 hours and 20 minutes .

    On weekends, Los Limousines offers 4 trips per day. A one way ticket costs for a weekend trip to Modesto.

Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from San Diego to Modesto

The bus takes an average of 14 hours and 43 minutes to cover the 403 miles from San Diego to Modesto. However, the fastest bus only takes 9 hours and 20 minutes. It’s definitely on the longer side, so plan to get comfortable for a long road trip. Keep in mind that your actual bus may arrive earlier or later than scheduled, depending on whether there is more or less traffic than usual.

Tuesday is usually the day of the week when buses are busiest. If you are planning to travel on a Tuesday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.

On the other hand, Sunday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you are looking for less crowded buses to Modesto, book your ticket for the last day of the week.

The first bus leaves at 1:00am and the last bus leaves at 8:00pm. To see the times for all buses from San Diego to Modesto, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.

There are 20 scheduled buses that travel from San Diego to Modesto every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. This includes 5 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 San Diego to Modesto; ticket prices start at $60.00.

City Information

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.

Modesto

Modesto, CA, US - MOD-0

Image credit: Tom Hilton

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Modesto is a city in Central Valley, California. The city is known for its large agricultural industry and number of museums. Modesto is home to museums, natural history sites, and planetariums, like the Great Valley Museum and McHenry Museum. It also has different amusement and recreational centers offering playgrounds, rides, go-cart, and more, like Funworks Modesto and Graceada Park. As for nature lovers, Modesto features places for sports, hiking, camping, fishing, and picnics, like Jacob Myers Park and Ceres River Bluff Regional Park. The city is also a fun place for arts with the Graffiti Summer and the Gallo Center for the Arts.

The CA city is ideal for all craft beer and wine lovers, as it has several breweries and wineries to visit. Modesto also has a vibrant nightlife, with different nightclubs, lounges, bars, and restaurants, and is always brimming with pool parties, trance festivals, DJ nights, and more. Downtown Modesto has become a vibrant place for shopping, dining, and parties.

Modesto features several train and bus lines for those in and around the city. The city is easily accessible by Amtrak and Amtrak San Joaquins for trains, while Tufesa Plus offers bus services. The City of Modesto Transit Services powers the city's transportation.

Station Information

Where does the bus leave from in San Diego?

Main departure station: San Ysidro Transit Center

Buses to Modesto leave from 9 stations in San Diego.

All bus stations in San Diego:

  • San Ysidro Transit Center

  • San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop

  • La Jolla - UC San Diego

  • 2728 Congress St (Old Town SD)

  • Cross Border Xpress CBX

  • San Ysidro Bus Terminal

  • Balboa Park - Presidents Way

  • 789 W Harbor Dr - Seaport Village

  • SDSU - 5716 Hardy Ave

Where does the bus arrive in Modesto?

Main arrival station: 1001 9th St Ste C

Buses arrive in Modesto at 3 stations, depending on which bus line you are traveling with.

All bus stations in Modesto:

  • 1001 9th St Ste C

  • 3441 Dale Rd

  • Modesto Bus Station

Get around town with Moovit

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Need a return trip from Modesto to San Diego?

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