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Cheap bus tickets from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria

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Santa Barbara to Santa Maria Bus Schedule

No preview is currently available. Please try another date or search the full schedule.

Bus from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria: Journey Information

There is one daily bus from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria. Traveling by bus from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria usually takes around one hour and 25 minutes, but some buses might arrive slightly earlier or later than scheduled depending on traffic conditions.

Distance56 mi (90 km)
Shortest duration1h 25m
Cheapest price$33.00
Trips per day1
Most frequent serviceAmtrak Thruway
Bus lines1

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Price trends for buses from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria

Monthly avg. prices

$100$80$60$40$20JFMAMJJASOND

What bus companies travel from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria?

There is one intercity bus company available to search and book on Wanderu that operates from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria. 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 Thruway11h 25m$33.00
  • 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 Barbara to Santa Maria start at $33. On average, there are 1 Amtrak Thruway bus trips on this route every day.

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

The bus takes an average of one hour and 25 minutes to cover the 56 miles from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria. You'll have just enough time for a small nap on this relatively short bus 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.

Tuesday is usually the day of the week when buses are busiest. If you are planning to travel on a Tuesday, 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 Santa Barbara to Santa Maria. It leaves the station in Santa Barbara at 7:00am 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 Barbara to Santa Maria. Fortunately, this happens to be a direct bus, meaning that you do not have to get on a different bus at any point during your trip.

Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria; ticket prices start at $33.00.

City Information

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 Barbara?

Main departure station: 209 State Street

Most buses depart from the main station in Santa Barbara.

All bus stations in Santa Barbara:

  • 209 State Street

Where does the bus arrive in Santa Maria?

Main arrival station: Santa Maria Bus Stop

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

All bus stations in Santa Maria:

  • Santa Maria Bus Stop

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