How much is the bus ticket from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

The cheapest coach tickets from San Diego to Santa Barbara start from £26. The average price for this route is around £42. Busbud recommends that you book your tickets in advance for a better chance to get the lowest possible price.

How long is the bus journey from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

The average bus journey time from San Diego to Santa Barbara is 10h 20m, covering a distance of 187 miles. The fastest bus can take you there in 4h 15m and is operated by FlixBus .

Which bus companies service the San Diego to Santa Barbara route?

Several major bus companies operate on this route with 2 buses available per day, including services from Amtrak , FlixBus , Greyhound .

What is the earliest and latest departure time for the bus from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

The earliest bus departs from San Diego to Santa Barbara at 06:45. And the latest bus departs at 21:25.

What are the CO₂ emissions for the bus trip from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

A bus journey from San Diego to Santa Barbara produces an estimated 8 kg of CO₂, making it a highly eco-friendly choice and a mode of travel recommended by Busbud.

Which is the best bus company from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

According to Busbud customers, the highest-rated bus company on this route is Amtrak , with an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 5627 reviews.

Which company has the best Wi-Fi from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

Based on Busbud reviews, the bus company Amtrak has the best Wi-Fi rating with a score of 3.6.

Which bus company offers the most punctual service from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

According to Busbud traveller reviews, the most punctual bus company on this route is FlixBus , with a punctuality rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.

Which bus company has the cleanest buses from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

According to Busbud traveller reviews, the bus company with the cleanest buses on this route is Amtrak , with a cleanliness rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Bus San Diego to Santa Barbara from £34 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures from San Diego to Santa Barbara on 14 December
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
		22:10	Old Town San Diego	9h 25m	07:35	Train Station	CheapestFastest

Next departures from San Diego to Santa Barbara on 15 December
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
03:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h 5m	09:55	Train Station	Cheapest
05:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h	11:50	Train Station	Fastest
22:10	Santa Fe Depot	9h 40m	07:50	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
05:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h 20m	12:10	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
05:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h 20m	12:10	UC Santa Barbara	No tags

Next departures from San Diego to Santa Barbara on 16 December
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
03:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h 5m	09:55	Train Station	Cheapest
05:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h	11:50	Train Station	Fastest
22:10	Santa Fe Depot	9h 40m	07:50	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
05:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h 20m	12:10	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
05:50	Santa Fe Depot	6h 20m	12:10	UC Santa Barbara	No tags

Next departures from San Diego to Santa Barbara on 17 December
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
		21:25	Santa Fe Depot	10h 25m	07:50	UC Santa Barbara	Cheapest
		22:10	Santa Fe Depot	9h 25m	07:35	Train Station	Fastest

Next departures from San Diego to Santa Barbara on 18 December
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
		22:10	Santa Fe Depot	9h 40m	07:50	UC Santa Barbara	Cheapest
		22:10	Santa Fe Depot	9h 25m	07:35	Train Station	Fastest

Next departures from San Diego to Santa Barbara on 19 December
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
		21:25	Santa Fe Depot	10h 35m	08:00	UC Santa Barbara	Cheapest
		21:25	Santa Fe Depot	10h 20m	07:45	Train Station	Fastest

Next departures from San Diego to Santa Barbara on 20 December
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
		21:25	Santa Fe Depot	10h 35m	08:00	UC Santa Barbara	Cheapest
		21:25	Santa Fe Depot	10h 20m	07:45	Train Station	Fastest

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 07:15 PST.

Compare 2 ways to travel from San Diego to Santa Barbara

We recommend taking the train

Among the sustainable travel choices, the train stands out as a good way to reach Santa Barbara. The journey takes about 5 hours 49 minutes and with fares starting at just £36, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

11train per day

5h 49mAverage duration

184 milesDistance

27kgCO₂ emissions

	Average price	Average duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average price£26 - £51	Average duration10h 20m	CO₂ emissions 8kg CO₂e
Train	Average price£36 - £71	Average duration5h 49m	CO₂ emissions 27kg CO₂e

Where are the popular stops in San Diego and Santa Barbara?

Stops in San Diego

A
Mission Valley Sheraton
1433 Camino del Rio S, San Diego, CA 92108, USA
B
Old Town Courtyard Marriot
2435 Jefferson St, San Diego, CA 92110, USA
C
Downtown Holiday Inn
1617 1st Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
D
Greyhound Station
1313 National Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
E
Market St. & Park Blvd
601 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
F
San Ysidro McDonald's
727 E San Ysidro Blvd, San Diego, CA 92173, USA

Stops in Santa Barbara

A
Train Station
224 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Visit page

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,641 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

WiFi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/511,591 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

WiFi2.7

Greyhound

3.5/587,430 reviews

Staff3.6

Timeliness2.9

Cleanliness3.3

WiFi2.4

Based on 87430 reviews, the company was rated 3.5 stars on Busbud. Travellers were especially satisfied with the ticket access and the temperature but often complained with the Wi-Fi. Greyhound ticket prices on this trip start at £23

Greyhound San Diego Santa Barbara recent customer reviews

I missed a very important meeting and the bus was delayed by 4hrs. I will never use this service again and I will never recommend it to anyone

Prabhu Y.

26 August 2018

Wasn't able to turn reading light on at all during trip. Only complaint from me, otherwise smooth ride

Dale C.

10 March 2018

US Bus Companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Big Sky

Frequently asked questions about travelling by bus from San Diego, CA, US to Santa Barbara

Please note that timetables, routes, or operator details shown here may be updated or vary at the time of your journey.

How much is the bus ticket from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
The cheapest coach tickets from San Diego to Santa Barbara start from £26. The average price for this route is around £42. Busbud recommends that you book your tickets in advance for a better chance to get the lowest possible price.
How long is the bus journey from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
The average bus journey time from San Diego to Santa Barbara is 10h 20m, covering a distance of 187 miles. The fastest bus can take you there in 4h 15m and is operated by FlixBus.
Which bus companies service the San Diego to Santa Barbara route?
Several major bus companies operate on this route with 2 buses available per day, including services from Amtrak, FlixBus, Greyhound.
What is the earliest and latest departure time for the bus from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
The earliest bus departs from San Diego to Santa Barbara at 06:45. And the latest bus departs at 21:25.
What are the CO₂ emissions for the bus trip from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
A bus journey from San Diego to Santa Barbara produces an estimated 8 kg of CO₂, making it a highly eco-friendly choice and a mode of travel recommended by Busbud.
Which is the best bus company from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
According to Busbud customers, the highest-rated bus company on this route is Amtrak, with an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 5627 reviews.
Which company has the best Wi-Fi from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
Based on Busbud reviews, the bus company Amtrak has the best Wi-Fi rating with a score of 3.6.
Which bus company offers the most punctual service from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the most punctual bus company on this route is FlixBus, with a punctuality rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.
Which bus company has the cleanest buses from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the bus company with the cleanest buses on this route is Amtrak, with a cleanliness rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

10/12

£40

11/12

£40

Today

£40

13/12

£40

14/12

£40

15/12

£34

16/12

£34

17/12

£40

The cheapest trip from San Diego, CA, US to Santa Barbara was searched and found on 15 Dec 2025 with a price of £34

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from San Diego, CA, US to Santa Barbara as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from £34 to £65 for a bus ticket from San Diego, CA, US to Santa Barbara based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at £34, which is on 2025-12-15.