Cheap bus tickets from San Diego to Santa Barbara
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Is it better to travel by bus or train from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
There are usually 12 daily train trips available from San Diego to Santa Barbara.
Bus | Train | |
|---|---|---|
Avg. Price | Avg. Price$41.89 | Avg. Price$47.00 |
Daily Trips | Daily Trips3 | Daily Trips12 |
Duration | Duration7h 36m | Duration5h 57m |
Bus from San Diego to Santa Barbara: Journey Information
There are 3 intercity buses per day from San Diego to Santa Barbara. Traveling by bus from San Diego to Santa Barbara usually takes around 7 hours and 2 minutes, but the fastest FlixBus US bus can make the trip in 4 hours and 35 minutes.
| Distance | 188 mi (302 km) |
| Shortest duration | 4h 35m |
| Cheapest price | $27.97 |
| Trips per day | 2 |
| Most frequent service | FlixBus US |
| Bus lines | 3 |
Buses from San Diego to Santa Barbara
- Amtrak Thruway: 1 daily buses from $51
- FlixBus US: 3 daily buses from $29
- Greyhound: 2 daily buses from $28
How much is a bus ticket from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
Bus tickets for a trip from San Diego to Santa Barbara cost $32.47 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 San Diego to Santa Barbara by travel date
If you're planning to travel by bus from San Diego to Santa Barbara in the next month, the average ticket price is expected to range from $32 to $59. The cheapest bus tickets available in the next few weeks are for trips departing on January 30, 2025.
If you’re looking to travel to Santa Barbara this week, bus tickets are available starting at $33.
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 24 days in advance. This way, you can save up to $23.78 on your bus ticket compared to booking last-minute.
What bus companies travel from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
There are 3 bus lines from San Diego to Santa Barbara available for you to search and compare on Wanderu. With 3 daily trips, FlixBus US usually has the most buses running on any given day. Here are some time and price comparisons for all the available options:
| Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amtrak Thruway | 1 | 10h 21m | $51.57 |
| FlixBus US | 3 | 6h 47m | $45.69 |
| Greyhound | 2 | 6h 58m | $41.60 |
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 Santa Barbara start at $51. 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 3 trips per day from San Diego to Santa Barbara, 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 2 bus trips from San Diego to Santa Barbara every day, with the average journey taking around 6 hours and 58 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to Santa Barbara usually start from $28.
Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from San Diego to Santa Barbara
The bus takes an average of 7 hours and 2 minutes to cover the 188 miles from San Diego to Santa Barbara. However, the fastest bus only takes 4 hours and 35 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.
Because many passengers travel from San Diego to Santa Barbara 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, Wednesday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you're looking for some extra space on the bus, traveling mid-week is your best bet.
The first bus leaves at 4:00am and the last bus leaves at 7:00am. To see the times for all buses from San Diego to Santa Barbara, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
There are 3 scheduled buses that travel from San Diego to Santa Barbara every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. This includes 2 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 Santa Barbara; ticket prices start at $44.00.
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.
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a major travel destination along the southern coast of California. Dramatically situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, Santa Barbara offers incomparable scenery with a comfortably warm climate year-round. White stucco buildings with Mediterranean-style architecture, gorgeous beaches, and upscale local cuisine give Santa Barbara the nickname "The American Riviera."
There are many kinds of vacations to enjoy in Santa Barbara. You can spend days on the soft sand of Leadbetter Beach, surfing in the swells at Rincon Point, or shopping for trinkets along Stearns Wharf. Or embrace the area's history by visiting the Mission Santa Barbara, a Spanish mission founded in 1786. Highlights from the mission include Spanish architecture, a rose garden, a museum, and even crypts.
Santa Barbara Airport, only a few miles from downtown, serves passengers to the region. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner stops in Santa Barbara on its way from San Diego to San Luis Obispo, with plenty of connections to other SoCal hotspots. Intercity buses, including FlixBus, offer routes from Santa Barbara to destinations like L.A., San Diego, and Las Vegas.
Station Information
Where does the bus leave from in San Diego?
Main departure station: San Ysidro Transit Center
Buses to Santa Barbara leave from 5 stations in San Diego.
All bus stations in San Diego:
San Ysidro Transit Center
Santa Fe Depot - 1050 Kettner Blvd
La Jolla - UC San Diego
San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop
2728 Congress St (Old Town SD)
Where does the bus arrive in Santa Barbara?
Main arrival station: 209 State Street
All buses from San Diego arrive at one main station in Santa Barbara.
All bus stations in Santa Barbara:
209 State Street
Get around town with Moovit
Need a return trip from Santa Barbara to San Diego?
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