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Santa Barbara to Los Angeles train

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Santa Barbara - Los Angeles Train Schedule

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Trip Summary

You can pick from 9 daily train trips between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. The average train journey from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles takes 2 hours and 40 minutes, but some Amtrak train trips are as short as one hour and 55 minutes.

Distance87 mi (140 km)
Fastest train1h 55m
Lowest price$20.00
Trains per day21
Most frequent serviceAmtrak
Train lines3

Train Trip Reviews from Wanderu Customers

Average score for trains from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles

(Based on 20 ratings and reviews)

4.6

5.0

Danielle

September 4, 2023- Vacation

Amtrak Coast Starlight

Pros: Swift option of travel. Cons: N/A. Tips: No!

5.0

Pablo

April 8, 2023- Couples trip

Amtrak Coast Starlight

Pros: The views and lovely service. Cons: Wifi! Tips: The snack bar is awesome!

5.0

Mike

September 26, 2022- Vacation

Amtrak Coast Starlight

Great ride up the coast.

5.0

Mary

September 2, 2022- Vacation

Amtrak Coast Starlight

Pros: How large the seat space and comfortable. The food was great. The staff was wonderful. And the views were beautiful. The train was a smooth ride and very affordable. I am going to join the train membership and book a new trip soon. This was the best trip and best way to travel I have ever experienced . Cons: I don’t know. This was my first time traveling. So everything was great. I can not wait to go again. Tips: Go. Don’t wait as long as I did. Travel now. I recommend traveling by train. You can not beat the affordability. Just go!

4.0

Carolyn

April 30, 2022- Vacation

Amtrak Coast Starlight

Pros: I enjoyed the freedom to travel with friends and not having to be stressed about driving. Cons: This was out of the control of Amtrak, but there was a “goat” on the track which caused an extended delay. We still managed to laugh and talk and snack and snooze enjoying the mountains and coastal scenery. Tips: Life is short. Don’t stress. Bring your headphones listening to your favorite podcast or music. Pray for traveling safety. I didn’t use WiFi, so I don’t know if it was working on board.

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

In the last 30 days, the average cost of a train ticket from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles was $25.00. This is a fantastic deal for train travel. You have the best chances of scoring the cheapest ticket to Los Angeles if you book your train tickets at least 21 days in advance. Waiting to purchase until the day of your trip could end up costing you an extra $3.32.

Average prices by travel date

$45$30$15AprMay

For the next 30 days, the cost of a one-way train trip from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles will range from $28 to $31. If you're planning to travel by train to Los Angeles in the upcoming week, the cheapest train ticket from Santa Barbara 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 average prices

$50$40$30$20$10MJJASONDJFMA
The price of a train ticket from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles remains pretty stable, regardless of when you plan to travel. Tickets on this route usually cost $28 throughout the year.

Prices as travel date approaches

$50$40$30$20$103020100

The average price of train tickets from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles is pretty stable year-round. However, we still suggest buying your train tickets at least 48 hours prior to departure to avoid unexpected price hikes and the possibility of the train being sold out.

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

There are 3 train lines with service from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. Amtrak is the most popular choice with travelers, offering scheduled service on 7 trains each day.

TrainDaily TripsAvg. TimeAvg. Price
Amtrak72h 44m$30.58
Amtrak Coast Starlight12h 37m$26.40
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner12h 26m$27.81

  • 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 7 Amtrak trains from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles every day, as well as 17 trips on the weekends, with prices starting from $25.

  • 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 1 train trips from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles every day, and prices for a one-way train ticket start from $25.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, there are trains that can take you the entire way from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. 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 Santa Barbara and Los Angeles is approximately 87 miles, or 140 kilometers. The average train journey between these two cities takes 2 hours and 40 minutes, although the absolute fastest you could get there is 1 hour 55 minutes. As a relatively short ride, taking the train is an easy way to travel between these two cities.

Trains from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles are the most crowded on Wednesday. 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 Friday instead, as it tends to be the least crowded day of the week.

The earliest train departs Santa Barbara at 6:00am while the last train of the day leaves at 9:00pm. 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 9 scheduled trains on most days. 21 of these are direct connections to Los Angeles. 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 Los Angeles to Santa Barbara.

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.

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 is the train station in Santa Barbara?

Main departure station: 209 State Street

There is one train station in Santa Barbara.

All train stations in Santa Barbara:

  • 209 State Street

Where is the train station in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles, CA - Union Station - LAXUST-0

Image credit: David Wilson

Link to image attribution

Main arrival 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

  • 592 Gayley Ave

  • Metrolink Station

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