What is the travel distance from Oakland to Chicago?

The distance separating Oakland and Chicago is 1844 miles (2974 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Oakland to Chicago?

The majority of buses traveling from Oakland to Chicago start their journey at West Oakland BART Station and wind up at Downtown Greyhound 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.

What are the best sights and things to do in Chicago?

Once in Chicago, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, Lincoln Park Zoo, Lake Michigan, Museum of Science and Industry and Museum of Contemporary Art.

Bus Oakland to Chicago from $216 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on November 26
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	10:00pm	West Oakland BART	2d 17h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	9:05am	UC Berkeley (Crescent Lawn)	2d 17h	4:10am	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	9:05am	UC Berkeley (Crescent Lawn)	2d 20h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on November 27
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:30pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	11:50pm	Oakland/Berkeley/East Bay	3d 6h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on November 28
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:30pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	4:55am	Emeryville Station	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on November 29
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 2h	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on November 30
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 1
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	Cheapest
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	Fastest
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	9:05am	UC Berkeley (Crescent Lawn)	2d 17h	4:10am	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 2
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:50pm	Oakland/Berkeley/East Bay	2d 14h	4:30pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Yesterday at 11:14 PM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go from Oakland to Chicago

We recommend taking the train

Among the sustainable travel choices, the train stands out as the good way to reach Chicago. The journey takes about 2 days, 5 hours 27 minutes and with fares starting at just $125, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

7train per day

2d 5hAverage Duration

1843 milesDistance

270kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$171 - $594	Average Duration2d 15h	CO₂ emissions 74kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$125 - $1,347	Average Duration2d 5h	CO₂ emissions 270kg CO₂e

Where are the popular stops in Oakland and Chicago?

Stops in Oakland

A
West Oakland BART Station
1401-1421 7th St, Oakland, CA 94607, USA
B
Emeryville Station
5885 Horton St, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
Visit page
C
Oakland Bus Station
2103 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
D
Greyhound Station
2103 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94612, USA

Stops in Chicago

A
Downtown Greyhound Station
630 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Visit page
B
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Visit page
C
Polk St & Canal St
500-536 W Polk St, Chicago IL 60607, USA
D
Tornado Bus S Kedzie Ave
2807 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60623, USA
E
Cumberland CTA
5800 N Cumberland Ave, Chicago, IL 60631, USA
F
Turimex California Ave
2139 S California Ave, Chicago, IL 60608, USA

Compare bus companies

Greyhound

3.5/587,394 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.

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 $239

Amtrak Oakland Chicago recent customer reviews

Wish I could go first class I know they had a ball super comfortable and an overall decent ride definitely bringing the kids next time

Yesenia C.

April 1, 2024

FlixBus

3.5/511,443 reviews

Staff4.2

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 Oakland to Chicago by bus

What is the travel distance from Oakland to Chicago?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Oakland to Chicago?
What are the best sights and things to do in Chicago?

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

$296

11/24

$271

Today

$323

11/26

$273

11/27

$228

11/28

$278

11/29

$260

11/30

$322

The cheapest trip from Oakland to Chicago was searched and found on Nov 27, 2025 with a price of $228

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

You can expect to pay from $228 to $1,716 for a bus ticket from Oakland to Chicago based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $228 which is on 2025-11-27.

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.