How far is San Diego from Santa Barbara?

The distance between San Diego and Santa Barbara is around 303 km (188 miles).

What are the departure and arrival locations for buses traveling from San Diego to Santa Barbara?

Buses traveling this route start their trip at Mission Valley Sheraton, in San Diego, and end it at Train Station, in Santa Barbara.

Bus San Diego to Santa Barbara from $54 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for San Diego to Santa Barbara on November 27
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	6:45am	Greyhound Bus Stop	6h 50m	1:35pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	CheapestFastest

Next departures for San Diego to Santa Barbara on November 28
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	6:45am	Greyhound Bus Stop	6h 50m	1:35pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	CheapestFastest

Next departures for San Diego to Santa Barbara on November 29
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	Bus	6:45am	Greyhound Bus Stop	6h 50m	1:35pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	CheapestFastest

Last refresh of the prices: Yesterday at 6:07 PM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go 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 $68, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

11train per day

5h 49mAverage Duration

301 kmDistance

27kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$48 - $113	Average Duration10h 10m	CO₂ emissions 7kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$68 - $134	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
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Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,601 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/511,414 reviews

Staff4.2

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

Greyhound

3.5/587,392 reviews

Staff3.6

Timeliness2.9

Cleanliness3.3

Wifi2.4

Based on 87392 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 WiFi. Greyhound ticket prices on this trip start at $43

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.

August 26, 2018

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

Dale C.

March 10, 2018

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

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

How far is San Diego from Santa Barbara?
The distance between San Diego and Santa Barbara is around 303 km (188 miles).
What are the departure and arrival locations for buses traveling from San Diego to Santa Barbara?
Buses traveling this route start their trip at Mission Valley Sheraton, in San Diego, and end it at Train Station, in 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

11-21

$74

11-22

$74

Today

$74

11-24

$77

11-25

$79

11-26

$54

11-27

No data

11-28

$79

The cheapest trip from San Diego, CA, US to Santa Barbara was searched and found on Nov 26, 2025 with a price of $54

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 $54 to $79 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 $54 which is on 2025-11-26.