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Cheap bus tickets from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara

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Santa Ana to Santa Barbara Bus Schedule

Is it better to travel by bus or train from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara?

There are usually 4 daily train trips available from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara.

Bus
Train
Avg. Price
Avg. Price
$39.65
Avg. Price
$39.99
Daily Trips
Daily Trips
1
Daily Trips
4
Duration
Duration
7h 23m
Duration
3h 50m

Bus from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara: Journey Information

There is one daily bus from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara. Traveling by bus from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara usually takes around 7 hours and 22 minutes, but the fastest Amtrak Thruway bus can make the trip in 6 hours and 30 minutes.

Distance115 mi (185 km)
Shortest duration6h 30m
Cheapest price$39.00
Most frequent serviceAmtrak Thruway
Bus lines1

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What bus companies travel from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara?

There is one intercity bus company available to search and book on Wanderu that operates from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara. Amtrak Thruway is the only company that has bus schedules available to search and book at the moment. It only makes the trip once a day on most days.

BusDaily TripsAvg. TimeAvg. Price
Amtrak Thruway17h 23m$39.17
  • 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 Santa Ana to Santa Barbara start at $39. On average, there are 1 Amtrak Thruway bus trips on this route every day.

Frequently asked questions about traveling by bus from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara

The bus takes an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes to cover the 115 miles from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara. However, the fastest bus only takes 6 hours and 30 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.

Friday is the busiest travel day for buses as people head from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara for the weekend. If you are planning to travel on a Friday, 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.

There is usually only one bus per day from Santa Ana to Santa Barbara. It leaves the station in Santa Ana at 12:00am 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 Santa Ana to Santa Barbara. 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 Santa Ana to Santa Barbara; ticket prices start at $37.00.

City Information

Santa Ana

Santa Ana, CA, US - SNA-0

Image credit: Unsplash

Santa Ana is a sunny city in Orange County located between Anaheim and Irvine in the greater Los Angeles area. Downtown Santa Ana bustles with independent breweries, diverse restaurants, unique retail shops, weekly pop-up markets, and art centers. This lively downtown area, in addition to Santa Ana's live-work housing and creative working spaces, make it attractive to young professionals.

One of the most popular spots for visitors is the Santa Ana Zoo, where little ones can enjoy a carousel and mini-train ride along with the animal exhibits. Architecture enthusiasts will love seeing the Bowers Museum, built in a Mission Revival style, and the Heritage Museum, which has restored homes from the 1890s.

The Orange County Transportation Authority and several shuttle services provide transit within Santa Ana. Santa Ana is easily accessible from over 20 other cities by Amtrak Thruway bus or on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train. The primary airport for Orange County, John Wayne Airport, is located in Santa Ana and also makes it easy to travel to this vibrant SoCal spot.

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 Santa Ana?

Main departure station: Reg Transp Ctr - 1000 E Santa Ana Blvd

Most buses depart from the main station in Santa Ana.

All bus stations in Santa Ana:

  • Reg Transp Ctr - 1000 E Santa Ana Blvd

Where does the bus arrive in Santa Barbara?

Main arrival station: 209 State Street

All buses from Santa Ana arrive at one main station in Santa Barbara.

All bus stations in Santa Barbara:

  • 209 State Street

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