Cheap bus tickets from San Diego to Salinas
Find and compare the best ground travel options in one place.
Millions of travelers trust Wanderu every year to get:
Lowest Prices
We find the cheapest bus & train tickets, so you can wander for less.
Best Travel Options
We partner with 500+ carriers to bring you the most bus & train options.
Quick & Easy Booking
Book trips quickly with a simple, hassle-free checkout – online & on our app.
Fast Customer Support
We don’t monkey around. We respond within minutes to help you out.
See what travelers are saying about Wanderu:
San Diego to Salinas Bus Schedule
Is it better to travel by bus or train from San Diego to Salinas?
There are usually 8 daily train trips available from San Diego to Salinas.
Bus | Train | |
|---|---|---|
Avg. Price | Avg. PriceHUF 29,127.58 | Avg. PriceHUF 37,825.52 |
Daily Trips | Daily Trips1 | Daily Trips8 |
Duration | Duration14h 28m | Duration11h 23m |
Bus from San Diego to Salinas: Journey Information
There is one daily bus from San Diego to Salinas. Traveling by bus from San Diego to Salinas usually takes around 12 hours and 21 minutes, but the fastest Greyhound bus can make the trip in 11 hours and 15 minutes.
| Distance | 374 mi (602 km) |
| Shortest duration | 11h 15m |
| Cheapest price | HUF 19,504.76 |
| Most frequent service | Amtrak Thruway |
| Bus lines | 2 |
How much is a bus ticket from San Diego to Salinas?
Bus tickets for a trip from San Diego to Salinas cost HUF 26,972.78 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.
Monthly avg. prices
Prices as travel date approaches
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 27 days in advance. This way, you can save up to HUF 22,745.16 on your bus ticket compared to booking last-minute.
What bus companies travel from San Diego to Salinas?
There are two bus lines that have daily service from San Diego to Salinas that you can compare and book on Wanderu. However, each company only runs one bus per day.
| Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amtrak Thruway | 1 | 15h 26m | HUF 29,845.85 |
| Greyhound | 2 | 11h 38m | HUF 46,772.71 |
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 San Diego to Salinas start at HUF 29,518. On average, there are 1 Amtrak Thruway bus trips on this route every day.
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 2 bus trips from San Diego to Salinas every day, with the average journey taking around 11 hours and 38 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to Salinas usually start from HUF 19,505.
Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from San Diego to Salinas
The bus takes an average of 12 hours and 21 minutes to cover the 374 miles from San Diego to Salinas. However, the fastest bus only takes 11 hours and 15 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.
Sunday tends to be the busiest day for buses, as many passengers take the bus to Salinas at the end of the week. If you are planning to travel on a Sunday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.
On the other hand, Thursday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you’re looking for a little extra space, a Thursday ticket is the way to go.
There is usually only one bus per day from San Diego to Salinas. It leaves the station in San Diego at 9:00pm each day. The time might vary for specific dates, so be sure to search on Wanderu for the most up-to-date information.
There is usually only one bus per day from San Diego to Salinas. However, it is not a direct bus, so you will have to get off your original vehicle to change buses during the trip.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from San Diego to Salinas; ticket prices start at HUF 33,781.57.
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.
Salinas
Image credit: Unsplash
Salinas is a city in California popularly known as the Salad Bowl of the World- though the nickname is about more than healthy food. The city has a vibrant agriculture industry, pristine farmland, historic sites, and plenty of greenery. As an agriculture-based city, it's not surprising that there are a lot of outdoor areas to visit, from Natividad Creek Park to the Creekbridge Neighborhood Park. In addition, history lovers in Salinas can visit the National Steinbeck Center and Monterey & Salinas Valley Railroad Museum for their interactive exhibits, while Salinas Valley Art Gallery appeals to art lovers.
For wine lovers in Salinas, there is a wide range of wineries and vineyards in the city, with popular choices being the Chateau Sinnet Winery and Vineyard, and SMD Vineyards. Visitors to the city can check out nightclubs, lounges, and bowling centers. Salinas organizes festivals throughout the year, like the Monthly Art Market & Artisan Fair and the Annual Halloween Beer Crawl.
If you're visiting Salinas by train, over 100 cities offer routes by Amtrak. Fewer bus lines are going to the city, provided by Amtrak Thruway. There are also Monterey-Salinas Transit services for transport inside the city.
Station Information
Where does the bus leave from in San Diego?
Image credit: Doug Letterman
Link to image attributionMain departure station: Santa Fe Depot - 1050 Kettner Blvd
The Santa Fe Depot is the main train station in San Diego and one of the end points of the Pacific Surfliner, the only Amtrak train line that serves the city. The station is also used by the Green Line of the San Diego Trolley light rail transit service and the COASTER commuter rail service that connects the city with the central and northern coastal regions of San Diego County. Opened in 1915, the Santa Fe Depot is famous for its Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture and grand interior space that features natural redwood beam ceilings and ceramic details. The train station is located in the heart of Downtown San Diego, making it easy to reach from all parts of the city.
All bus stations in San Diego:
Santa Fe Depot - 1050 Kettner Blvd
San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop
San Ysidro Transit Center
4005 Taylor St
Where does the bus arrive in Salinas?
Main arrival station: 11 Station Pl
All buses from San Diego arrive at one main station in Salinas.
All bus stations in Salinas:
11 Station Pl
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Salinas to San Diego?
Search Bus TicketsPlan your next adventure
More buses from San Diego
- Bus from San Diego to Mexicali
HUF 9,087+
- San Diego to Tijuana
HUF 2,923+
- Bus from San Diego to Anaheim
HUF 9,335+
- San Diego to Bakersfield Bus
HUF 23,701+
- Bus from San Diego to Calexico
HUF 23,059+
- San Diego to El Centro Bus
HUF 14,048+
- Bus from San Diego to Fontana
HUF 13,972+
- San Diego to Long Beach Bus
HUF 11,276+
- San Diego to Los Angeles
HUF 8,654+
- San Diego to Menifee
HUF 16,062+
- Bus from San Diego to Palm Springs
HUF 24,107+
- San Diego to Riverside
HUF 10,454+
- Bus from San Diego to San Bernardino
HUF 13,925+
- San Diego to San Francisco
HUF 48,171+
- San Diego to Santa Ana Bus
HUF 8,923+
- San Diego to Newark Bus
HUF 155,450+
- Bus from San Diego to Las Vegas
HUF 27,246+
- Bus from San Diego to El Paso
HUF 39,496+
Continue by bus from Salinas
- Bus from Eureka to San Francisco
HUF 15,740+
- Fontana to San Diego Bus
HUF 14,645+
- Indio to Calexico Bus
HUF 10,677+
- Irvine to San Jose Bus
HUF 30,048+
- Bus from Los Angeles to San Diego
HUF 8,608+
- Los Angeles to San Francisco Bus
HUF 33,371+
- Bus from Los Angeles to Las Vegas
HUF 15,777+
- Bus from Merced to Los Angeles
HUF 20,910+
- Bus from Roseville to San Jose
HUF 21,595+
- Bus from Sacramento to San Francisco
HUF 10,150+
- Bus from San Bernardino to Victorville
HUF 20,060+
- San Diego to Los Angeles
HUF 8,654+
- Bus from San Francisco to Los Angeles
HUF 36,620+
- Bus from San Francisco to Sacramento
HUF 8,887+
- San Jose to Los Angeles Bus
HUF 23,177+
- South Lake Tahoe to Placerville Bus
HUF 7,215+
- Bus from Stockton to Los Angeles
HUF 20,846+
- Victorville to Los Angeles Bus
HUF 10,695+
Wanderu is the simplest way to book bus and train travel.
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best bus and train deals out there.