How far is San Jose from Santa Barbara?

The distance separating San Jose and Santa Barbara is 236 miles (381 km).

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

Most of the buses traveling from San Jose to Santa Barbara leave from Diridon Station and arrive at Train Station. These are the most popular pick-up and drop-off locations on this route, but you can find others that could fit better into your travel plans.

Bus San Jose to Santa Barbara from $39 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 16
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
		11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	CheapestFastest
		11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 17
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:25am	Diridon Station	5h 15m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	CheapestFastest
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 35m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 20m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 18
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:25am	Diridon Station	5h 15m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	CheapestFastest
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 35m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 20m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 19
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:25am	Diridon Station	5h 15m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	CheapestFastest
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 35m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 20m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 20
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 35m	9:55pm	Train Station	Cheapest
9:25am	Diridon Station	5h 15m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	Fastest
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:20pm	Diridon Station	6h 20m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 21
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	CheapestFastest
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	12:55am	Diridon Station	12h 40m	1:35pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	No tags
	11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 22
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:55pm	Diridon Station	6h 35m	9:30pm	Train Station	Cheapest
	2:55pm	Diridon Station	6h 20m	9:15pm	UC Santa Barbara	Fastest
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	12:55am	Diridon Station	12h 40m	1:35pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	No tags
	11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
	11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Jose to Santa Barbara on November 23
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:55pm	Diridon Station	6h 35m	9:30pm	Train Station	Cheapest
	2:55pm	Diridon Station	6h 20m	9:15pm	UC Santa Barbara	Fastest
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	12:55am	Diridon Station	10h 45m	11:40am	Santa Barbara Station	No tags
	11:35am	Diridon Station	7h 19m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	12:55am	Diridon Station	12h 40m	1:35pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Yesterday at 8:23 PM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go from San Jose to Santa Barbara

We recommend taking the bus

Among the sustainable travel choices, the bus stands out as the good way to reach Santa Barbara. The journey takes about 6 hours 20 minutes and with fares starting at just $44, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

3bus per day

6h 20mAverage Duration

232 milesDistance

9kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$44 - $193	Average Duration6h 20m	CO₂ emissions 9kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$58 - $131	Average Duration7h 46m	CO₂ emissions 35kg CO₂e

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,587 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/511,330 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

Flixbus is a European bus operator that offers intercity and bus travel in over 38 countries. Known for their easy-to-spot lime green buses and for offering affordable transportation between cities in Europe and the Americas, Flixbus is a good option for those looking for an affordable, reliable bus company. In their buses, you'll find free WiFi, bathrooms, and power outlets. You can also pay extra to choose your seat and get extra legroom, or even buy a snack or drink onboard directly from the driver. You can reschedule your ticket for a small fee, which varies from $1 to $5, depending on how close you are to the departure date.

FlixBus San Jose Santa Barbara recent customer reviews

They stole my money :(

Madelyn B.

October 19, 2025

Greyhound

3.5/587,374 reviews

Staff3.6

Timeliness2.9

Cleanliness3.3

Wifi2.4

Greyhound Lines offers the most comprehensive intercity bus services in the United States. They operate a modern, environmentally friendly fleet that serves more than 2400 destinations and carries nearly 16 million passengers annually. When traveling with them, you can expect free WiFi, onboard entertainment, bathrooms, power outlets and decent legroom. One of the great perks of Greyhound is that they connect big cities and smaller towns in the US, where you usually can't get to by train or plane. If you're looking for safe and affordable transportation, Greyhound is a great choice.

Greyhound San Jose Santa Barbara recent customer reviews

Great timing. friendly staff. Can be little more cleaner!

Hirish C.

February 21, 2018

US bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Sindbad

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

Stops in San Jose

A - Diridon Station

B - Santiago Express San Jose

C - 1118 E William St

D - San Jose Bus Stop

E - Tamien Station

F - Diridon Station

Stops in Santa Barbara

A - Train Station

Frequently asked questions about traveling from San Jose, US to Santa Barbara by bus

How far is San Jose from Santa Barbara?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from San Jose to Santa Barbara?

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

11/14

$69

11/15

$69

Today

$98

11/17

$54

11/18

$49

11/19

$48

11/20

$69

11/21

$98

The cheapest trip from San Jose, US to Santa Barbara was searched and found on Nov 19, 2025 with a price of $48

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

You can expect to pay from $48 to $119 for a bus ticket from San Jose, US to Santa Barbara based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $48 which is on 2025-11-19.

Usually Amtrak, FlixBus 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.