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Journey Information
There are 2 intercity buses per day from Oakland to Santa Barbara. Traveling by bus from Oakland to Santa Barbara usually takes around 12 hours and 47 minutes, but the fastest FlixBus US bus can make the trip in 7 hours and 5 minutes.
| Distance | 274 mi (442 km) |
| Shortest duration | 7h 5m |
| Cheapest price | $26.98 |
| Trips per day | 1 |
| Most frequent service | Greyhound |
| Bus lines | 2 |
How much is a bus ticket from Oakland to Santa Barbara?
Bus tickets for a trip from Oakland to Santa Barbara cost $34.61 on average. Opting to take a bus is a wallet-friendly way to make this trip. If you book your trip ahead of time using Wanderu, you can easily find bus tickets at or below this price.
Average prices by travel date
Bus tickets from Oakland to Santa Barbara are expected to cost between $32 and $56 over the next four weeks. If you're planning a trip to Santa Barbara within the next week, you can find the cheapest bus tickets starting from $35. Don't wait too long to book your ticket, as prices tend to rise as the travel date approaches.
Monthly avg. prices
Prices as travel date approaches
To save money on bus tickets, buy them as early as possible. Bus carriers usually charge higher ticket prices the closer you book to the date of travel. Book your ticket at least 27 days in advance to save up to $37.10.
What bus companies travel from Oakland to Santa Barbara?
There are two bus lines that have daily service from Oakland to Santa Barbara that you can compare and book on Wanderu. However, each company only runs one bus per day.
| Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| FlixBus US | 1 | 10h 24m | $70.16 |
| Greyhound | 1 | 13h 27m | $53.93 |
FlixBus US is the American branch of German bus company FlixBus, known for providing sustainable, affordable, and modern bus travel. The company offers cheap bus tickets to popular urban destinations throughout the United States. FlixBus US buses include many amenities, including comfortable seats, free WiFi, power outlets at every seat, and an online portal for free entertainment. On average, FlixBus US operates 1 trips per day from Oakland to Santa Barbara, and the average ticket for this route costs only .
Greyhound is the largest nationwide bus carrier in the United States, offering cheap, safe and reliable service across the country. Greyhound has become a household name, serving over 16 million passengers per year with daily trips to over 2,400 destinations. Greyhound performs about 1 bus trips from Oakland to Santa Barbara every day, with the average journey taking around 13 hours and 27 minutes to complete. Bus tickets for Greyhound trips to Santa Barbara usually start from $27.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bus takes an average of 12 hours and 47 minutes to cover the 274 miles from Oakland to Santa Barbara. However, the fastest bus only takes 7 hours and 5 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.
Sunday tends to be the busiest day for buses, as many passengers take the bus to Santa Barbara at the end of the week. If you are planning to travel on a Sunday, 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.
The first bus leaves at 11:00am and the last bus leaves at 11:00pm. To see the times for all buses from Oakland to Santa Barbara, enter your specific travel dates in the search bar.
There are usually only 2 buses per day from Oakland to Santa Barbara. One bus is a direct connection, meaning that you can stay on the same vehicle for the entire trip, without having to transfer onto a connecting bus at any point.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Oakland to Santa Barbara; ticket prices start at $45.00.
City Information
Oakland
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Image credit: Unsplash
Oakland, CA is a port city that is beginning to step out of the shadow of San Francisco, its neighbor to the west. Every visitor should start their Oakland trip in the downtown area and Old Oakland, the city's historic quarter full of quaint old buildings. While here, don't forget to take a short detour to Oakland's famous Chinatown as well. The African American Museum and Library at Oakland tells the history of Black communities in the area and is definitely worth a stop. For those who would prefer to stay close to nature, Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park's abundance of redwood groves will offer amazing views.
Oakland's food scene is vibrant and diverse, with a wide range of offerings for all budgets. Enssaro is a popular local name with mid-range dishes that will whet your appetite. For an excellent haute-cuisine dinner, head towards The Wolf.
It's easy to get around the Bay Area on local public transit (called the BART, for Bay Area Rapid Transit). Getting to Oakland from further afield is also a breeze thanks to many intercity bus routes in the area and Amtrak's Capitol Corridor train, which stops in Oakland. Flights arrive at the Oakland International Airport, but several additional airport options in the larger Bay Area are also available.
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 Oakland?
Image credit: Pi.1415926535
Link to image attributionMain departure station: West Oakland Bart Station
The Greyhound bus station, located at 2103 San Pablo Ave, was built in 1926 and is still open and operating today. The station has dramatic doorways and a magnificently ornate domed ceiling design. A security guard is on duty at all times to guarantee passenger safety. When passengers arrive, baggage goes through a security check, and you are only allowed in the station if you have a ticket, so say your goodbyes before you come. It serves as a primary stop for Alameda County's National bus system. The station is open from 5 am until 1:30 am every day and offers regular bus trips operated by Greyhound to locations around the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
All bus stations in Oakland:
West Oakland Bart Station
Where does the bus arrive in Santa Barbara?
Main arrival station: 209 State Street
All buses from Oakland arrive at one main station in Santa Barbara.
All bus stations in Santa Barbara:
209 State Street
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