What is the travel distance from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz?

About 294 miles (473 km) separate Los Angeles and Santa Cruz.

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

The majority of buses traveling from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz start their journey at UCLA and wind up at Metro Center Bus Station. These are the main departure and arrival locations on this route, there are other pick-up and drop-off locations that could make it easier for you to reach your destination.

Bus Los Angeles to Santa Cruz from $92 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for Los Angeles to Santa Cruz on November 26
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
8:35am	UCLA	1d 9h	6:19pm	Santa Cruz, CA	Cheapest
9:25am	Union Station	10h 41m	8:06pm	Santa Cruz, CA	Fastest
1:00am	Union Station	12h 6m	1:06pm	Santa Cruz, CA	No tags
8:35am	UCLA	11h 31m	8:06pm	Santa Cruz, CA	No tags

Next departures for Los Angeles to Santa Cruz on November 29
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
8:35am	UCLA	11h 38m	8:13pm	Santa Cruz, CA	Cheapest
9:25am	Union Station	10h 48m	8:13pm	Santa Cruz, CA	Fastest
1:00am	Union Station	11h 32m	12:32pm	Santa Cruz, CA	No tags
1:00am	Union Station	12h 38m	1:38pm	Santa Cruz, CA	No tags
9:15am	Union Station	10h 58m	8:13pm	Santa Cruz, CA	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Last Saturday at 1:53 PM PST.

Get from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz

This route is served by bus only

The journey takes about 1 day, 8 hours 3 minutes and with fares starting at just $98, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

2bus per day

1d 8hAverage Duration

293 milesDistance

12kgCO₂ emissions

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

Stops in Los Angeles

A
UCLA
571-581 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
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B
Ramirez Street bus stop
530 Ramirez St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
C
613 Maple Ave
613 Maple Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90014, USA
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D
Los Angeles International Airport
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E
Downtown Westin Bonaventure
404 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071, USA
F
LAX Airport Holiday Inn
9901 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA

Stops in Santa Cruz

A
Metro Center Bus Station
920 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, California, 95062
Visit page

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,607 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

Based on 5607 reviews, the company was rated 4.1 stars on Busbud. Travelers were especially satisfied with the seats and the ticket access but often complained with the wifi. Amtrak ticket prices on this trip start at $88

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

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Los Angeles, US to Santa Cruz, US by bus

What is the travel distance from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz?

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

11/23

$83

11/24

No data

Today

$104

11/26

$102

11/27

No data

11/28

No data

11/29

$104

11/30

$92

The cheapest trip from Los Angeles, US to Santa Cruz, US was searched and found on Nov 23, 2025 with a price of $83

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

You can expect to pay from $83 to $105 for a bus ticket from Los Angeles, US to Santa Cruz, US based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $92 which is on 2025-11-30.