How far is Salinas from Santa Barbara?

About 191 miles (308 km) separate Salinas and Santa Barbara.

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

Most of the buses traveling from Salinas to Santa Barbara leave from Amtrak and arrive at Train Station. These are the main pick-up and drop-off locations on this route, but you can find others that could fit better into your travel plans.

Bus Salinas to Santa Barbara from $35 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for Salinas to Santa Barbara on November 24
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
4:40pm	Amtrak	5h	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	Cheapest
2:25pm	Amtrak	4h 15m	6:40pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	Fastest
4:40pm	Amtrak	5h 15m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for Salinas to Santa Barbara on November 25
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
		12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	CheapestFastest
		12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for Salinas to Santa Barbara on November 26
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
4:40pm	Amtrak	5h	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	CheapestFastest
4:40pm	Amtrak	5h 15m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
11:50am	Amtrak	7h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
11:50am	Amtrak	7h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for Salinas 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
		12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	CheapestFastest
		12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for Salinas to Santa Barbara on November 28
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
2:25pm	Amtrak	4h 15m	6:40pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	CheapestFastest
12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for Salinas to Santa Barbara on November 29
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	Cheapest
2:25pm	Amtrak	4h 15m	6:40pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	Fastest
12:50pm	Amtrak	6h 4m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 12:56 AM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go from Salinas to Santa Barbara

We recommend taking the bus

Among the sustainable travel choices, the bus stands out as the good way to reach Santa Barbara. The journey takes about 5 hours and with fares starting at just $41, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

2bus per day

5hAverage Duration

187 milesDistance

8kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$41 - $126	Average Duration5h	CO₂ emissions 8kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$44 - $104	Average Duration6h 6m	CO₂ emissions 28kg CO₂e

Where are the popular stops in Salinas and Santa Barbara?

Stops in Salinas

A
Amtrak
3 STATION PLACE , 93901, California
Visit page
B
Alisal St & Pearl St
635 E Alisal St, Salinas, CA 93905, USA

Stops in Santa Barbara

A
Train Station
224 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Visit page

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

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 Salinas, US to Santa Barbara by bus

How far is Salinas from Santa Barbara?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Salinas to 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

$118

11/22

$84

Today

$59

11/24

$59

11/25

$84

11/26

$59

11/27

$84

11/28

$73

The cheapest trip from Salinas, US to Santa Barbara was searched and found on Nov 23, 2025 with a price of $59

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

You can expect to pay from $59 to $118 for a bus ticket from Salinas, US to Santa Barbara based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $59 which is on 2025-11-24.