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Journey Information
There is one daily bus from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara. Traveling by bus from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara usually takes around 7 hours and 45 minutes, but the fastest Amtrak Thruway bus can make the trip in 7 hours and 40 minutes.
| Distance | 239 mi (384 km) |
| Shortest duration | 7h 40m |
| Cheapest price | $49.75 |
| Most frequent service | Amtrak Thruway |
| Bus lines | 1 |
What bus companies travel from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara?
There is one intercity bus company available to search and book on Wanderu that operates from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara. 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.
| Bus | Daily Trips | Avg. Time | Avg. Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amtrak Thruway | 1 | 7h 45m | $51.26 |
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 Clara start at $50. On average, there are 1 Amtrak Thruway bus trips on this route every day.
Frequently Asked Questions
The bus takes an average of 7 hours and 45 minutes to cover the 239 miles from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara. However, the fastest bus only takes 7 hours and 40 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.
With many people traveling in the middle of the week, Wednesday is the busiest day of the week for bus travel. If you are planning to travel on a Wednesday, you should make sure to book tickets well in advance as they may sell out.
On the other hand, Friday is typically the least busy day for bus travel on this route. If you’re looking for a little extra space, a Friday ticket is the way to go.
There is usually only one bus per day from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara. It leaves the station in Santa Barbara at 8:00am 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 Clara. However, it is not a direct bus, so you will have to get off your original vehicle to change buses during the trip.
Need more travel options? Consider taking the train from Santa Barbara to Santa Clara; ticket prices start at $75.00.
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.
Santa Clara
Image credit: Unsplash
Santa Clara is a city in the San Francisco Bay Area, home to Santa Clara University, the San Francisco 49ers, and many of Silicon Valley's prominent tech companies. The Intel Museum, at Intel's headquarters, is the perfect place to celebrate technological advances and see exhibits like a giant replica of an Intel computing chip. The Intel Museum is free to visit, as is the Triton Museum of Art, home to contemporary artworks from Bay Area artists.
If you'd rather escape the fast-paced world of tech, the Santa Clara Valley is also home to over 30 wineries that encourage visitors to take it slow and relax a while. Drink in the view as you sip the wines at Kirigin Cellars, one of the oldest wineries in California.
Santa Clara is a fabulous city for a family vacation, too, just maybe without the winery visits. Instead, treat the kids to thrills at California's Great Adventure amusement park and South Bay Shores water park.
Santa Clara is one of the stops on the Capitol Corridor train that runs from San Jose to Sacramento. Amtrak Thruway provides a few bus trips out of Santa Clara, but there are even more options departing from its neighbors, San Jose and San Francisco. The closest major airport to Santa Clara is the San Jose Airport, but it also convenient to fly into San Francisco or Oakland.
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 Clara?
Main arrival station: 5099 Stars and Stripes Dr
These are the two stations where buses may stop when they arrive in Santa Clara.
All bus stations in Santa Clara:
5099 Stars and Stripes Dr
Caltrain ACE station - 1001 Railroad Ave
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