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There are usually 17 daily train trips available from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Traveling by train from San Francisco to Los Angeles usually takes 10 hours and 48 minutes, but the fastest Amtrak train can make the trip in 9 hours and 30 minutes.
| Distance | 347 mi (559 km) |
| Fastest train | 9h 30m |
| Lowest price | €42.16 |
| Most frequent service | Amtrak |
| Train lines | 1 |
San Francisco, California
Union Station
Amtrak Metrolink Station - 7724 Van Nuys Blvd
592 Gayley Ave
10040 Old Depot Plaza Rd, Chatsworth
Metrolink Station
Amtrak is the one and only train line which connects San Francisco to Los Angeles. However, there are 17 trains per day to choose from.
| Train | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amtrak | 17 | 10h 49m | €63.21 |
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 17 Amtrak trains from San Francisco to Los Angeles every day, as well as 26 trips on the weekends, with prices starting from €42.
Average score for trains from San Francisco to Los Angeles
(Based on 6 ratings and reviews)
4.0
Pros: The view from the Surfliner viewing car. I also love access to overnight trips, allowing me.to start my day in my destination. Cons: Better explanation of location to wait for bus. Tips: N/a.
5.0
Pros: The very friendly people & staff. Cons: Perfect. Tips: Always use this service.
The train journey from Jack London Square Station in Oakland to Union Station in Los Angeles includes stops at eight stations. These stations are: San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, and Van Nuys.
San Francisco International Airport and Oakland’s Jack London Square Station (the nearest train station to S.F.), are both about 13 miles away from the city center. However, 101 South toward SFO tends to have significantly worse traffic, which may extend your total travel time.
On Bay Area Rapid Transit, the light rail to SFO takes approximately 29 minutes, whereas the Blue and Green lines to Jack London Square take about 24 minutes.
Covering a distance of approximately 347 miles or 559 kilometers, the average train journey between San Francisco and Los Angeles is 10 hours and 40 minutes. The fastest possible travel time by train is 9 hours and 30 minutes.
Despite the extended duration, most trains on this route are equipped with Wi-Fi, allowing passengers to stream music, browse social media, or attend to work tasks during the journey. It’s advisable to pre-download any shows or podcasts you plan to enjoy in case of occasional Wi-Fi fluctuations.
Saturday emerges as the peak day for travelers journeying from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Ticket fares also tend to be the most expensive on this day. Consider booking your trip on a weekday for a more cost-effective journey to secure the best deals.
The first train leaves San Francisco at 4 am, and the final train departs at 10 pm. For a comprehensive breakdown of all departure timings, use the search function on this page for your travel dates.
While there is a total of 17 scheduled daily trains, none of them are direct trains. Passengers will need to change trains during the journey, potentially involving the transfer of checked baggage depending on the chosen service.
There are usually 31 daily bus trips available from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Bus | Train | |
|---|---|---|
Avg. Price | Avg. Price€49.91 | Avg. Price€62.66 |
Daily Trips | Daily Trips31 | Daily Trips28 |
Duration | Duration10h 26m | Duration10h 55m |
€161+
€38+
€50+
€23+
€34+
€70+
€24+
€66+
€44+
€184+
€282+
€450+
€120+
€86+
€424+
€106+
€137+
€107+
€90+
€39+
€74+
€27+
€22+
€74+
€33+
€77+
€25+
With just a quick search on Wanderu, you can compare bus and train schedules and prices from hundreds of travel companies in one convenient place to find the trip that works best for you. Wanderu’s simple checkout process makes it easy to book cheap bus and train tickets hassle-free. Most importantly, as Wanderu is an official partner of all leading bus and train companies, we always have the best bus and train deals out there.
