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Cheap train tickets from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara

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4.8 Rating

5k Reviews

4.5 Rating

4.8k Reviews

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Los Angeles to Santa Barbara Train Schedule

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

There are usually 3 daily bus trips available from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara.

Bus
Train
Avg. Price
Avg. Price
€24.43
Avg. Price
€31.01
Daily Trips
Daily Trips
3
Daily Trips
26
Duration
Duration
2h 10m
Duration
3h 0m

Trip Summary

10 trains operate daily from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. The train trip from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara is usually about 3 hours long. However, traveling on the fastest Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train can get you there in as little as one hour and 44 minutes.

Distance87 mi (140 km)
Fastest train1h 44m
Lowest price€19.77
Trains per day22
Most frequent serviceAmtrak Pacific Surfliner
Train lines3

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Train Trip Reviews from Wanderu Customers

Average score for trains from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara

(Based on 26 ratings and reviews)

4.8

4.0

Tatiana

December 28, 2025- Vacation

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

Pros: Silence. Cons: More information at the station (chatsworth) when is your first time. Tips: Get to the station with at last 15 min before the time.

5.0

Frances

December 25, 2025- Visiting family

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

Pros: Convenient and so I had time to compose myself. Cons: Van Nuys ticket counter is far from where you get on the train. Tips: Be a little early.

5.0

Regina

May 31, 2024- Solo travel

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

Pros: Scenic views and comfortable seating. Cons: Just maintain the excellent service. Tips: Just bring snacks and be on time.

5.0

Raymond

June 7, 2023- Visiting family

Amtrak Pacific Surfliner

Pros: Safe. Cons: It was good. Tips: No.

5.0

Kendra

April 23, 2023- Visiting friends

Amtrak Coast Starlight

Pros: It was a beautiful train ride and much more pleasant that driving would have been. It was easy to get to and the station location of the in Santa Barbara allows easy walking to both the beach and State street. Cons: As with everywhere these days, there were minimal Covid measures. Being assigned a seat directly next to someone else while there were still plenty of open seats was mildly annoying. Tips: Say hello to your train conductor! They are very friendly.

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What is the price of a train ticket from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara?

Over the past month, a train ticket between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara cost €27.70, on average. This price makes taking the train a budget-friendly option to get to Santa Barbara. Booking your trip at least 23 days in advance can help you secure tickets at the best price. For same-day bookings, you’ll likely have to pay around €12.46 more.

Average train ticket prices from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara by travel date

€39€26€13JanFeb

For the next 30 days, the cost of a one-way train trip from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara will range from €27 to €36. If you're planning to travel by train to Santa Barbara in the upcoming week, the cheapest train ticket from Los Angeles you can find in the next 7 days is €28. Be sure to book your trip in advance as train ticket prices typically increase as your travel date approaches.

Monthly avg. prices

€43€34€26€17€9FMAMJJASONDJ
Mark your calendar for February if you want to score the cheapest train tickets from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. You’ll find the best deals during this time of year, when tickets cost an average of €25. If you're planning a trip from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara during July, bear in mind that ticket prices are usually higher during this month. Expect to pay about €31 for your train ticket, unless you book well in advance and find an even better deal.

Prices as travel date approaches

€43€34€26€17€93020100

Planning ahead pays off when it comes to booking your train trip from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. By reserving your ticket on Wanderu at least 23 days before departure, you can save around €12.46. Don't miss out on these savings — book in advance!

Which train should you take from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara?

There are 3 train lines with service from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. Amtrak Pacific Surfliner is the most popular choice with travelers, offering scheduled service on 5 trains each day.

TrainDaily TripsAvg. TimeAvg. Price
Amtrak46h 22m€66.43
Amtrak Coast Starlight12h 11m€44.04
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner52h 15m€23.79

  • Amtrak is the largest passenger railroad service in America, offering daily intercity trains to hundreds of destinations across the contiguous United States, as well as several cities in Canada. Every Amtrak train comes equipped with comfortable seats with extra legroom, as well as several four-seat areas with tables in the middle. In addition, each car has a freshly cleaned restroom, free WiFi and power outlets at every seat. There are also snack bars where you can purchase drinks or food during your journey. On average, there are 4 Amtrak trains from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara every day, as well as 4 trips on the weekends, with prices starting from €28.

  • The Amtrak Coast Starlight is a service provided by Amtrak that connects Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles on the US Pacific coast. The full journey winds through the Cascade Mountains, perfectly clipped vineyards, and dense coastal forest, allowing passengers to get a glimpse of the US west coast while enjoying air-conditioned cars, power outlets, complimentary onboard WiFi, and snacks.

  • The Pacific Surfliner is Amtrak’s passenger train service that runs along the Pacific coast of Southern California, connecting San Luis Obispo to the north with San Diego to the south. The line is among the most famous Amtrak routes due to the unique scenic views it presents, as the train parallels the coastline for large portions of the 268-mile railroad stretch. The Pacific Surfliner offers first-class amenities like onboard restrooms, free WiFi, seats with extra legroom and power outlets, as well as storage racks for surfboards. On average, the service offers 5 train trips from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara every day, and prices for a one-way train ticket start from €21.

Frequently asked questions about traveling by train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara

Yes, there are trains that can take you the entire way from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara. However, there are also some trips on this route that require you to board another vehicle, such as a bus or a shuttle, during your journey. This is worth paying attention to as you book your trip, since a direct train may be preferable for its speed and convenience.
The distance between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara is approximately 87 miles, or 140 kilometers. The average train journey between these two cities takes 3 hours, although the absolute fastest you could get there is 1 hour 44 minutes. As a relatively short ride, taking the train is an easy way to travel between these two cities.

Trains from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara are the most crowded on Tuesday. Tickets also tend to be more expensive then. If you are looking for a great deal on your train tickets or just want extra room to stretch out, consider traveling on Thursday instead, as it tends to be the least crowded day of the week.

The earliest train departs Los Angeles at 5:00am while the last train of the day leaves at 7:00pm. To see all scheduled departure times, use the search function on this page to get the full schedule for your specific travel dates.

There are 10 scheduled trains on most days. 22 of these are direct connections to Santa Barbara. While direct trains may still make stops along the way, you will not need to switch trains at any point. If you're looking to get to your destination faster, a direct train is the convenient and time-efficient choice.

You can also take a train for your return trip from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.

City Information

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.

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 is the train station in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles, CA - Union Station - LAXUST-0

Image credit: David Wilson

Link to image attribution

Main departure station: Union Station

Union Station is the main train station in Los Angeles and the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. The station was opened in 1939 and has become one of California’s busiest transportation hubs, serving more than 100 thousand passengers per day. Every Amtrak route that goes through Los Angeles stops at Union Station. In addition, the area around the station serves as the main bus stop for several bus carriers that conduct trips in and out of the city. Located in Downtown LA, Union Station offers easy transit connections to other parts of the city via three Metro Rail lines and one Metro Busway line, as well as a shuttle service to LAX airport. Union Station also serves as the main LA hub for six lines of Metrolink, Southern California’s primary commuter rail service.

All train stations in Los Angeles:

  • Union Station

  • Amtrak Metrolink Station - 7724 Van Nuys Blvd

  • 10040 Old Depot Plaza Rd, Chatsworth

  • Metrolink Station

  • 592 Gayley Ave

Where is the train station in Santa Barbara?

Main arrival station: 209 State Street

Santa Barbara has one train station.

All train stations in Santa Barbara:

  • 209 State Street

Get around town with Moovit

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