How much does a bus ticket from San Francisco to Santa Barbara cost?

The bus ticket price from San Francisco to Santa Barbara starts at R 401. The best way to find cheap bus tickets from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is to book your tickets as early as possible. Prices tend to rise as your travel date approaches, so book in advance to secure the best prices!

How long is the bus ride from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

The average travel time between San Francisco and Santa Barbara is around 6h 35m, although the fastest bus will take about 6h 20m. This is the time it takes to travel the 447 km that separates the two cities.

How many daily bus connections are there between San Francisco and Santa Barbara?

The number of buses from San Francisco to Santa Barbara can differ depending on the day of the week. On average, there are 2 on this route. Some buses run direct routes, while others have layovers. Simplify your bus trip from San Francisco to Santa Barbara by comparing and selecting the bus that fits your travel style and budget on Busbud.

Which bus companies travel from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

When taking the bus from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, you can travel comfortably and safely with Amtrak, FlixBus, Greyhound.

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?

Buses travelling between San Francisco and Santa Barbara leave from Hyde/Beach (Fisherman's Wharf) or Powell Station and arrive at Train Station.

Bus San Francisco to Santa Barbara from R 680 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures from San Francisco to Santa Barbara on 14 November
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
10:20	Mission St & Fremont St	8h 34m	18:54	Train Station	Cheapest
12:05	409 Townsend St, SF	6h 35m	18:40	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	Fastest
06:55	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 17m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
06:55	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 17m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
07:00	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 12m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
07:00	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 12m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
10:20	Mission St & Fremont St	8h 34m	18:54	Train Station	No tags
08:50	Mission St & Fremont St	10h 40m	19:30	Train Station	No tags

Next departures from San Francisco to Santa Barbara on 15 November
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
10:20	Mission St & Fremont St	8h 34m	18:54	Train Station	Cheapest
12:05	409 Townsend St, SF	6h 35m	18:40	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	Fastest
07:00	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 12m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
07:00	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 12m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
10:20	Mission St & Fremont St	8h 34m	18:54	Train Station	No tags
08:40	Mission St & Fremont St	10h 50m	19:30	Train Station	No tags
10:35	Mission St & Fremont St	10h 55m	21:30	Train Station	No tags
11:00	Mission St & Fremont St	10h 30m	21:30	Train Station	No tags

Next departures from San Francisco to Santa Barbara on 16 November
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
10:20	Mission St & Fremont St	8h 34m	18:54	Train Station	Cheapest
12:05	409 Townsend St, SF	6h 35m	18:40	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	Fastest
07:00	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 12m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
07:00	Mission St & Fremont St	11h 12m	18:12	Train Station	No tags
10:20	Mission St & Fremont St	8h 34m	18:54	Train Station	No tags
08:40	Mission St & Fremont St	10h 50m	19:30	Train Station	No tags
10:35	Mission St & Fremont St	10h 55m	21:30	Train Station	No tags
11:00	Mission St & Fremont St	10h 30m	21:30	Train Station	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Last Saturday at 5:48 PM PST.

Get from San Francisco to Santa Barbara

This route is served by bus only

The journey takes about 6 hours 35 minutes, and with fares starting at just R 401, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

2bus per day

6h 35mAverage duration

446 kmDistance

11kgCO₂ emissions

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55 583 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

WiFi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/511 294 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

WiFi2.7

Greyhound

3.5/587 370 reviews

Staff3.6

Timeliness2.9

Cleanliness3.3

WiFi2.4

Based on 12 reviews, Greyhound was rated 3 stars for this trip. Greyhound ticket prices on this trip start at R 691, with the trip lasting on average 776.

Greyhound San Francisco Santa Barbara recent customer reviews

Greyhound is an awful company with terrible customer service. Our bus was due to leave at 9pm but was delayed by “3 hours”. We were then taken from San Francisco to Oakland where we were told to wait for our driver - we kept receiving updates that she’d be there in “10 minutes” and then that she wasn’t coming at all and we were told to find our own way home - after we’d been taken from San Francisco to Oakland by Greyhound. Our did not arrive for another 3 hours. When we finally did leave we had a collision which caused our journey time to increase by 2 hours. The driver was also lost and was asking passengers for a charger to charge her phone so she could use her GPS to get us there which was highly unprofessional. I’m extremely upset and disappointed, our trip has been ruined as we only had one day in Santa Barbara. I will not be using Greyhound again and would never recommend to a friend. The customer service was terrible, hardly an apology for delaying us by 6 hours. This trip has been far more hassle and stress than is necessary and next time I would definitely fly or go with Amtrak.

Anna W.

31 July 2018

US Bus Companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Sindbad

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

Stops in San Francisco

A - Hyde/Beach (Fisherman's Wharf)

B - Powell Station

C - Union Square Hilton

D - San Francisco Greyhound Station

E - 444 Townsend St.

Stops in Santa Barbara

A - Train Station

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

How much does a bus ticket from San Francisco to Santa Barbara cost?
The bus ticket price from San Francisco to Santa Barbara starts at R 401. The best way to find cheap bus tickets from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is to book your tickets as early as possible. Prices tend to rise as your travel date approaches, so book in advance to secure the best prices!
How long is the bus ride from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?
The average travel time between San Francisco and Santa Barbara is around 6h 35m, although the fastest bus will take about 6h 20m. This is the time it takes to travel the 447 km that separates the two cities.
How many daily bus connections are there between San Francisco and Santa Barbara?
The number of buses from San Francisco to Santa Barbara can differ depending on the day of the week. On average, there are 2 on this route. Some buses run direct routes, while others have layovers. Simplify your bus trip from San Francisco to Santa Barbara by comparing and selecting the bus that fits your travel style and budget on Busbud.
Which bus companies travel from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?
When taking the bus from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, you can travel comfortably and safely with Amtrak, FlixBus, Greyhound.
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from San Francisco to Santa Barbara?
Buses travelling between San Francisco and Santa Barbara leave from Hyde/Beach (Fisherman's Wharf) or Powell Station and arrive at Train Station.

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

11/11

R 837

12/11

R 837

Today

R 837

14/11

R 837

15/11

R 802

16/11

R 837

17/11

R 767

18/11

No data

The cheapest trip from San Francisco, US to Santa Barbara was searched and found on 17 Nov 2025 with a price of R 767

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

You can expect to pay from R 767 to R 4 583 for a bus ticket from San Francisco, US to Santa Barbara based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at R 767, which is on 2025-11-17.

Usually Amtrak will charge you higher prices for tickets closer to the departure date. To find the best prices, you should be flexible on your date of travel.