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Cheap bus tickets from San Jose to Los Angeles

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4.8 Rating

5k Reviews

4.5 Rating

4.8k Reviews

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San Jose to Los Angeles Bus Schedule

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

There are usually 21 daily train trips available from San Jose to Los Angeles.

Bus
Train
Avg. Price
Avg. Price
$63.35
Avg. Price
$91.57
Daily Trips
Daily Trips
23
Daily Trips
21
Duration
Duration
7h 24m
Duration
10h 4m

Bus from San Jose to Los Angeles: Journey Information

There are 27 intercity buses per day from San Jose to Los Angeles. Traveling by bus from San Jose to Los Angeles usually takes around 7 hours and 24 minutes, but the fastest FlixBus US bus can make the trip in 5 hours and 50 minutes.

Distance305 mi (492 km)
Shortest duration5h 50m
Cheapest price$31.48
Trips per day23
Most frequent serviceFlixBus US
Bus lines4

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Bus Trip Reviews from Wanderu Customers

Average score for buses from San Jose to Los Angeles

(Based on 20 ratings and reviews)

4.3

5.0

Poonam

August 19, 2024- Business

Greyhound

Pros: Pretty good. Cons: Prices. Tips: No.

4.0

Maseena

August 31, 2023- Visiting family

Greyhound

Pros: the staff was informative and helpful. Cons: the timing predictions. Tips: be prepared to stay longer than expected because of traffic delays.

5.0

Hyeyeon

July 9, 2021

Greyhound

Clean bus and on time arrival.

5.0

Ananthanarayanan

November 16, 2019- Solo travel

Greyhound

Pros: wifi was not working. Cons: wifi. Tips: please make wifi working and arrange a water tap in bathroom.

4.0

Tatiana

October 25, 2019- Solo travel

Greyhound

Pros: Good actitud from the staff. Cons: The drivers speak extra loud even when is a overnight drive. Tips: Only use the Barth room if you don't have any option.

San Jose to Los Angeles Route Map

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

Bus tickets for a trip from San Jose to Los Angeles cost $60.46 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 Jose to Los Angeles by travel date

$90$60$30DecDec

If you're planning to travel by bus from San Jose to Los Angeles in the next month, the average ticket price is expected to range from $55 to $87. The cheapest bus tickets available in the next few weeks are for trips departing on December 10, 2024.

If you’re looking to travel to Los Angeles this week, bus tickets are available starting at $55.

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

$75$60$45$30$15JFMAMJJASOND
Taking the bus from San Jose to Los Angeles is usually cheapest in October, when the average ticket price is only $57. If you're planning to take the bus from San Jose to Los Angeles during December, keep in mind that bus ticket prices may be higher than usual, with an average price of $70. However, booking your trip in advance can help you score a ticket at a better price.

Prices as travel date approaches

$100$80$60$40$203020100

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 29 days in advance. This way, you can save up to $24.89 on your bus ticket compared to booking last-minute.

What bus companies travel from San Jose to Los Angeles?

There are 4 bus lines from San Jose to Los Angeles available for you to search and compare on Wanderu. With 14 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:

BusDaily TripsAvg. TimeAvg. Price
FlixBus US147h 10m$74.44
Greyhound57h 48m$70.15
Tufesa Internacional47h 8m$68.00
Tufesa Plus48h 0m$68.00

  • 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 Jose to Los Angeles, 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 5 bus trips from San Jose to Los Angeles every day, with the average journey taking around 7 hours and 48 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to Los Angeles usually start from $31.

  • Tufesa Internacional is the international brand of one of the largest ground transportation providers in Mexico, Tufesa. The carrier offers daily bus trips to and from several cities in the Southwestern United States, including cross-border trips between the U.S. and Mexico. On average, Tufesa Internacional runs 4 from San Jose to Los Angeles, with prices starting from $67. The carrier’s fleet features modern coaches equipped with state-of-the-art technology and amenities, such as onboard restrooms, reclining seats, free WiFi, power outlets at every seat, and a digital entertainment system.

  • Tufesa Plus is an economy bus service run by Tufesa. Its service area covers the southwestern states in the United States and parts of northwest Mexico. Onboard, travelers can enjoy AC, power outlets, reclining chairs, separate male and female restrooms, and WiFi while in Mexico.

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

The cheapest bus tickets from San Jose to L.A. are through Greyhound. A ticket with this bus company costs an average of just $34, while Megabus and OurBus are closer to $40, and Tufesa Internacional tickets hover around $55.
Yes, there are a couple of overnight bus options between San Jose and Los Angeles. Megabus has a bus that departs San Jose at 11:30 p.m., arriving into L.A. at 6:10 a.m., and Greyhound has a bus departing San Jose at 11:15 p.m., arriving into L.A. at 5:55 a.m.
The Amtrak Coast Starlight runs from San Jose to L.A., with two trips per day. Tickets average about $58, and the trip can be as fast as 8 hours 18 minutes. Bus trips are actually faster because they are less roundabout, getting to L.A. in as quick as 6 hours 30 minutes.

The bus takes an average of 7 hours and 24 minutes to cover the 305 miles from San Jose to Los Angeles. However, the fastest bus only takes 5 hours and 50 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 Los Angeles 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 12:00am and the last bus leaves at 11:00pm. To see the times for all buses from San Jose to Los Angeles, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.

There are 27 scheduled buses that travel from San Jose to Los Angeles every day, so you have a decent number of options to choose from. This includes 23 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 Jose to Los Angeles; ticket prices start at $48.00.

City Information

San Jose

San Jose, CA - SJC-0

Image credit: Unsplash

San Jose, CA - SJC-1

Image credit: Unsplash

San Jose, CA - SJC-2

Image credit: Unsplash

San Jose is located in the heart of the world-famous Silicon Valley in California’s Bay Area. It is the largest city in Northern California and, as such, it is the area’s cultural, political and financial center.

While you’re in San Jose, make sure to check out the city’s various museums. Since you’re in the world’s foremost technology hub, the Tech Museum of Innovation is a must-visit. And since you’re on the West Coast, you should stop by the San Jose Museum of Art that features the largest permanent collection of works from West Coast artists.

Thanks to its mild California climate, San Jose is one of the best cities in the U.S. for outdoor activities, and due to its largely younger-leaning population, it offers quite the vibrant nightlife. In fact, San Jose is among the biggest party hubs in America.

San Jose is served by various bus carriers and has several Amtrak stops within its vicinity. In addition, the city’s airport is located right near the downtown area, which makes travel to and from San Jose a breeze.

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.

Station Information

Where does the bus leave from in San Jose?

Main departure station: Diridon Station

Buses to Los Angeles leave from 3 stations in San Jose.

All bus stations in San Jose:

  • Diridon Station

  • San Jose, Ca. Fronteras

  • 440 S King Rd

Where does the bus arrive in Los Angeles?

Main arrival station: 800 N Alameda St

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

All bus stations in Los Angeles:

  • 800 N Alameda St

  • 611 Maple Ave

  • 10413 Laurel Canyon Blvd Pacoima

  • North Hollywood Bus Station

  • San Fernando Bus Station

  • 592 Gayley Ave

  • Los Angeles Un Station Arrival

  • Downtown - Vignes Lot

  • 1658 N Orange Drive

Get around town with Moovit

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