How far is Santa Barbara from Los Angeles?

The distance between the two cities is 87 miles (141 km).

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

Most of the buses traveling from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles leave from Train Station and arrive at UCLA. These are the main departure and arrival locations on this route, but you can also find other options that could better fit your plans.

What are the best sights and things to do in Los Angeles?

Once in Los Angeles, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Universal Studios & Universal City Walk, Getty Center, Downtown Art Walk and Disneyland.

Bus Santa Barbara to Los Angeles from $14 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 24
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	Cheapest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Fastest
	2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	No tags
	9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:55pm	UCLA	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	5h 20m	12:05am	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 25
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	Cheapest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h	11:55pm	UCLA	Fastest
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	No tags
12:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	4h 8m	4:48pm	Union Station	No tags
3:50am	La Cumbre Plaza	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 26
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	Cheapest
9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 15m	11:55pm	UCLA	Fastest
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	No tags
9:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	2h 40m	12:20am	Union Station	No tags
3:50am	La Cumbre Plaza	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 27
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
6:00am	UC Santa Barbara	3h 46m	9:46am	Union Station	Cheapest
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Fastest
6:00am	UC Santa Barbara	3h 46m	9:46am	Union Station	No tags
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 45m	8:30pm	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags
12:40pm	UC Santa Barbara	4h 8m	4:48pm	Union Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 28
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	5h 20m	12:05am	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	Cheapest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Fastest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles (Americanstar)	No tags
	6:00am	UC Santa Barbara	3h 46m	9:46am	Union Station	No tags
	8:50am	La Cumbre Plaza	2h 40m	11:30am	LAX Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 29
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles Union Station	CheapestFastest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles (Americanstar)	No tags
	9:30pm	Train Station	2h 25m	11:55pm	Union Station	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	5h 20m	12:05am	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags
	3:50am	La Cumbre Plaza	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on November 30
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	5h 20m	12:05am	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	Cheapest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Fastest
	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	1h 50m	8:35pm	Los Angeles (Americanstar)	No tags
	9:30pm	Train Station	2h 25m	11:55pm	Union Station	No tags
	3:50am	La Cumbre Plaza	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Airport	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to Los Angeles on December 1
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	2h 20m	5:05pm	Los Angeles Union Station	Cheapest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h	11:55pm	UCLA	Fastest
9:55pm	Train Station	2h 25m	12:20am	Union Station	No tags
2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 45m	8:30pm	Lankershim/Magnolia - North Hollywood	No tags
3:50am	La Cumbre Plaza	2h 25m	6:15am	LAX Airport	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 3:10 AM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles

We recommend taking the train

Among the sustainable travel choices, the train stands out as the good way to reach Los Angeles. The journey takes about 2 hours 53 minutes and with fares starting at just $26, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

10train per day

2h 53mAverage Duration

87 milesDistance

13kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$22 - $68	Average Duration2h 40m	CO₂ emissions 4kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$26 - $117	Average Duration2h 53m	CO₂ emissions 13kg CO₂e

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

Stops in Santa Barbara

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

Stops in Los Angeles

A
UCLA
571-581 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA
Visit page
B
Ramirez Street bus stop
530 Ramirez St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
C
Los Angeles International Airport
Visit page
D
613 Maple Ave
613 Maple Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90014, USA
Visit page
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

Compare bus companies

Santa Barbara Airbus

4/51 reviews

Staff5

Timeliness5

Cleanliness5

Amtrak

4/55,604 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

Users have shared positive experiences with Amtrak, highlighting the opportunity to enjoy beautiful landscapes during their train journeys. Additionally, passengers appreciated being able to accomplish some work while traveling comfortably by train.

Amtrak Santa Barbara Los Angeles recent customer reviews

The trip by train allowed me to see the landscape, which was beautiful. Hard to do while driving. Also could get a little work done, which was appreciated.

Dale L.

October 6, 2023

My experience with Amtrak has been wonderful.

Gilberto Alessandro N.

November 26, 2024

No leg room. Late, without notification.

Igor L.

April 5, 2023

FlixBus

3.5/511,422 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 Santa Barbara Los Angeles recent customer reviews

I enjoyed the helpfulness of my driver and the efficiency of the ride. I didn’t enjoy being seated behind the enormous unit behind the driver.

Jordan L.

June 12, 2023

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

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

How far is Santa Barbara from Los Angeles?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles?
What are the best sights and things to do in Los Angeles?

Find cheapest prices for buses

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

Best price found

11/22

$38

11/23

$33

Today

$33

11/25

$33

11/26

$33

11/27

$34

11/28

$28

11/29

$26

The cheapest trip from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, US was searched and found on Nov 29, 2025 with a price of $26

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

You can expect to pay from $26 to $65 for a bus ticket from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, US based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $26 which is on 2025-11-29.

Usually Santa Barbara Airbus, 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.