What is the travel distance from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara?

The distance separating San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara is 77 miles (124 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara?

The majority of buses traveling from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara start their journey at AMTRAK Station and wind up at Train Station. These are the most popular departure and arrival locations on this route, but you could find others that could be a better fit for your travel plans.

Bus San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara from $16 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on November 26
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
12:55pm	San Luis Obispo	1h 45m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	CheapestFastest
7:25pm	AMTRAK Station	2h 15m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
7:15pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	2h 40m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
2:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	4h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
2:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	4h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on November 27
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
12:55pm	San Luis Obispo	1h 45m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	CheapestFastest
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on November 28
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	Cheapest
4:30pm	San Luis Obispo	2h 10m	6:40pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	Fastest
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on November 29
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
4:30pm	San Luis Obispo	2h 10m	6:40pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	CheapestFastest
7:00pm	AMTRAK Station	2h 15m	9:15pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
6:50pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	2h 40m	9:30pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on November 30
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
4:30pm	San Luis Obispo	2h 10m	6:40pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	CheapestFastest
2:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	4h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
2:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	4h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on December 1
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
7:25pm	AMTRAK Station	2h 15m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	Cheapest
12:55pm	San Luis Obispo	1h 45m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	Fastest
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
7:25pm	AMTRAK Station	2h 30m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on December 2
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
12:55pm	San Luis Obispo	1h 45m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	CheapestFastest
7:25pm	AMTRAK Station	2h 15m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
7:15pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	2h 40m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Next departures for San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara on December 3
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
12:55pm	San Luis Obispo	1h 45m	2:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	CheapestFastest
7:25pm	AMTRAK Station	2h 15m	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	No tags
7:15pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	2h 40m	9:55pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags
3:40pm	Cal Poly Vista Grande Dining Complex	3h 14m	6:54pm	Train Station	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 6:50 AM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go from San Luis Obispo 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 2 hours 25 minutes and with fares starting at just $25, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

5bus per day

2h 25mAverage Duration

77 milesDistance

3kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$25 - $54	Average Duration2h 25m	CO₂ emissions 3kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$28 - $61	Average Duration2h 35m	CO₂ emissions 12kg CO₂e

Where are the popular stops in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara?

Stops in San Luis Obispo

A
AMTRAK Station
1730 Santa Rosa St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA
Visit page
B
San Luis Obispo Bus Stop
1460 Calle Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, CA 93405, USA

Stops in Santa Barbara

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

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,607 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/511,444 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.

FlixBus San Luis Obispo Santa Barbara recent customer reviews

Nice, clean bus. Came on time. Quiet, smooth ride. Only issue was the lack of signage for the bus stop in San Luis Obispo. We were all confused.

Rebecca K.

April 18, 2023

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

Frequently asked questions about traveling from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara by bus

What is the travel distance from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from San Luis Obispo 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

11/23

$33

11/24

$26

Today

$57

11/26

$26

11/27

$24

11/28

$37

11/29

$26

11/30

$30

The cheapest trip from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara was searched and found on Nov 27, 2025 with a price of $24

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

You can expect to pay from $24 to $59 for a bus ticket from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $24 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.