What is the travel distance from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria?

Santa Barbara and Santa Maria are 56 miles (89 km) apart.

Bus Santa Barbara to Santa Maria from $14 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Santa Maria on November 15
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	1:40pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 15m	2:55pm	Nicholson Ave	Cheapest
Bus	8:00am	UC Santa Barbara	1h 10m	9:10am	Nicholson Ave	Fastest
Bus	7:45am	Train Station	1h 25m	9:10am	Nicholson Ave	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Last Saturday at 12:52 PM PST.

Get from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria

This route is served by bus only

The journey takes about 1 hour 15 minutes and with fares starting at just $18, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

3bus per day

1h 15mAverage Duration

56 milesDistance

2kgCO₂ emissions

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,582 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/511,288 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.

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

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

What is the travel distance from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria?

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

11/09

$17

11/10

$33

Today

No data

11/12

No data

11/13

No data

11/14

No data

11/15

$14

11/16

$15

The cheapest trip from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria, US was searched and found on Nov 15, 2025 with a price of $14

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 Santa Maria, US, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $14 to $33 for a bus ticket from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria, US based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $14 which is on 2025-11-15.

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.