How far is Santa Barbara from Los Angeles?

The distance between the two cities is 87 miles (141 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles?

Most of the buses traveling from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles leave from Train Station and arrive at UCLA. These are the main departure and arrival locations on this route, but you can also find other options that could better fit your plans.

What are the best sights and things to do in Los Angeles?

Once in Los Angeles, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Universal Studios & Universal City Walk, Getty Center, Downtown Art Walk and Disneyland.

Bus Santa Barbara to Los Angeles from $17 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on October 29
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	Cheapest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h	11:55pm	UCLA	Fastest
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	No tags
9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:55pm	UCLA	No tags
2:50pm	Santa Barbara	3h 10m	6:00pm	LAX Los Angeles International Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on October 30
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	Cheapest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h	11:55pm	UCLA	Fastest
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	No tags
9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:55pm	UCLA	No tags
3:50am	Santa Barbara	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Los Angeles International Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on October 31
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	Cheapest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Fastest
	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:55pm	UCLA	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	6:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 20m	12:05am	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags
	3:50am	Santa Barbara	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Los Angeles International Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 1
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles Union Station	CheapestFastest
	9:30pm	Train Station	2h 25m	11:55pm	Union Station	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	6:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 20m	12:05am	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags
	3:50am	Santa Barbara	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Los Angeles International Airport	No tags
	9:15pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:30pm	UCLA	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 2
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:30pm	Train Station	2h 25m	11:55pm	Union Station	Cheapest
9:30pm	Train Station	2h	11:30pm	UCLA	Fastest
9:15pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:30pm	UCLA	No tags
3:50am	Santa Barbara	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Los Angeles International Airport	No tags
9:15pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 40m	11:55pm	Union Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 3
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Cheapest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Fastest
	9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	No tags
	2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 45m	8:30pm	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	6:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 20m	12:05am	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 4
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Cheapest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h	11:55pm	UCLA	Fastest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	No tags
3:50am	Santa Barbara	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Los Angeles International Airport	No tags
9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:55pm	UCLA	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 5
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Cheapest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h	11:55pm	UCLA	Fastest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	No tags
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 45m	8:30pm	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags
3:50am	Santa Barbara	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Los Angeles International Airport	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 12:00 AM PDT.

Compare 2 ways to go from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles

We recommend taking the train

Among the sustainable travel choices, the train stands out as the good way to reach Los Angeles. The journey takes about 2 hours 53 minutes and with fares starting at just $26, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

10train per day

2h 53mAverage Duration

87 milesDistance

13kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions
Bus	Average Price$21 - $68	Average Duration2h 40m	CO₂ emissions 3kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$26 - $117	Average Duration2h 53m	CO₂ emissions 13kg CO₂e

Bus Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, US: Trip Overview

Average ticket price$68

Average bus trip duration2h 40m

Number of daily buses13

Earliest bus departure3:50am

Distance84 miles (135 km)

Latest bus departure9:55pm

Compare bus companies

Santa Barbara Airbus

4/51 reviews

Staff5

Timeliness5

Cleanliness5

Amtrak

4/55,553 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

Users have shared positive experiences with Amtrak, highlighting the opportunity to enjoy beautiful landscapes during their train journeys. Additionally, passengers appreciated being able to accomplish some work while traveling comfortably by train.

Amtrak Santa Barbara Los Angeles recent customer reviews

The trip by train allowed me to see the landscape, which was beautiful. Hard to do while driving. Also could get a little work done, which was appreciated.

Dale L.

October 6, 2023

My experience with Amtrak has been wonderful.

Gilberto Alessandro N.

November 26, 2024

No leg room. Late, without notification.

Igor L.

April 5, 2023

FlixBus

3.5/511,102 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 Santa Barbara Los Angeles recent customer reviews

I enjoyed the helpfulness of my driver and the efficiency of the ride. I didn’t enjoy being seated behind the enormous unit behind the driver.

Jordan L.

June 12, 2023

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

Santa Barbara to Los Angeles Bus

With Busbud, comparing and booking tickets for a bus from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles is a breeze. Browse through an extensive selection of bus fares and bus schedules to find the best deals.

We make sure you can find a bus service from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles from the most reliable bus companies operating this trip.

Discover how much the bus trip from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles will cost you. Use our filters and sorting features to find the cheapest bus tickets or luxury buses.

Where are the popular stops in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles?

Stops in Santa Barbara

A - Train Station

Stops in Los Angeles

A - UCLA

B - Ramirez Street bus stop

C - Los Angeles International Airport

D - 613 Maple Ave

E - Downtown Westin Bonaventure

F - LAX Airport Holiday Inn

Frequently asked questions for your trip Santa Barbara - Los Angeles, US

How far is Santa Barbara from Los Angeles?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles?
What are the best sights and things to do in Los Angeles?

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

10/27

$22

10/28

$33

Today

$33

10/30

$33

10/31

$33

11/01

$21

11/02

$33

11/03

$19

The cheapest trip from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, US was searched and found on Nov 3, 2025 with a price of $19

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

You can expect to pay from $19 to $65 for a bus ticket from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, US based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $19 which is on 2025-11-03.

Usually Santa Barbara Airbus 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.

About Bus Travel

Bus Travel Tips

Meet and talk to locals at the bus stations while traveling from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.There is no better way to get inside travel information while exploring a new city than to go straight to its people.

Start sightseeing the minute your bus leaves the station. If you're on the night bus from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, get comfy and count the stars.

Buses have one of the smallest carbon footprints of motorized transport modes. A bus going from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles will emit less CO2 than a car or an airplane.

Make a music playlist for your bus ride from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, and enjoy the scenery to tunes from your own personal soundtrack.

Did you know?

Did you know some bus companies in Germany offer to their passenger low-costs snacks and regional beer based on their destination? Prosit!

Did you know there are on average 4,400 intercity bus departures every day in the US only? This number has been growing for 9 years in a row, yay!

Did you know that 80% of the buses in North America are equipped with WiFi and power outlets ? And 60% of bus travelers have used their electronic device on board during 2014.

Will you be returning to Santa Barbara by bus?

Bus from Los Angeles, US to Santa Barbara

You can also go to Los Angeles, US by train

Train from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, US

Top traveled bus routes

Why choose Busbud?

The Best Way To Book Bus and Train Tickets

Busbud makes bus travel easy. We help travelers find a bus, plot routes, and book intercity bus tickets all over the world. With Busbud, wherever you go, you have a worldwide bus station within reach and available in your own language and currency. Busbud partners with safe and reliable bus companies throughout the world such as Greyhound, Eurolines, ALSA, OUIBUS (BlaBlaBus), National Express and many others so you can buy tickets without a worry.

Bus Tickets from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, US