Cheap bus tickets from San Diego to Santa Maria
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San Diego to Santa Maria Bus Schedule
Is it better to travel by bus or train from San Diego to Santa Maria?
There are usually 5 daily train trips available from San Diego to Santa Maria.
Bus | Train | |
|---|---|---|
Avg. Price | Avg. Price$69.46 | Avg. Price$77.00 |
Daily Trips | Daily Trips1 | Daily Trips5 |
Duration | Duration10h 17m | Duration7h 24m |
Bus from San Diego to Santa Maria: Journey Information
There are 2 intercity buses per day from San Diego to Santa Maria. Traveling by bus from San Diego to Santa Maria usually takes around 9 hours and 7 minutes, but the fastest Greyhound bus can make the trip in 8 hours and 10 minutes.
| Distance | 243 mi (392 km) |
| Shortest duration | 8h 10m |
| Cheapest price | $40.97 |
| Most frequent service | Amtrak Thruway |
| Bus lines | 2 |
How much is a bus ticket from San Diego to Santa Maria?
Bus tickets for a trip from San Diego to Santa Maria cost $61.64 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 8 days in advance. This way, you can save up to $47.03 on your bus ticket compared to booking last-minute.
What bus companies travel from San Diego to Santa Maria?
There are two bus lines that have daily service from San Diego to Santa Maria 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 | 10h 54m | $78.01 |
| Greyhound | 2 | 8h 33m | $79.97 |
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 Maria start at $77. 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 Santa Maria every day, with the average journey taking around 8 hours and 33 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to Santa Maria usually start from $41.
Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from San Diego to Santa Maria
The bus takes an average of 9 hours and 7 minutes to cover the 243 miles from San Diego to Santa Maria. However, the fastest bus only takes 8 hours and 10 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 Santa Maria 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.
The first bus leaves at 6:00am and the last bus leaves at 10:00pm. To see the times for all buses from San Diego to Santa Maria, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
There are usually only 2 buses per day from San Diego to Santa Maria. However, neither bus offers direct service, so you will have to get off your original vehicle to transfer buses during the trip.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from San Diego to Santa Maria; ticket prices start at $77.00.
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.
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
Where does the bus arrive in Santa Maria?
Main arrival station: Santa Maria Bus Stop
All buses from San Diego arrive at one main station in Santa Maria.
All bus stations in Santa Maria:
Santa Maria Bus Stop
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