What is the distance between Santa Barbara and San Jose?

The distance separating Santa Barbara and San Jose is 236 miles (381 km).

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

If you're headed to San Jose from Santa Barbara, chances are that your bus will leave from Train Station and arrive at Diridon Station. These are the main departure and arrival 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 San Jose?

Once in San Jose, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, Japanese Friendship Garden, Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Cinnabar Hills Golf Club.

Bus Santa Barbara to San Jose from $39 | Refundable Tickets

Next bus departures

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on November 25
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
	Bus	11:45am	Santa Barbara Station	5h 15m	5:00pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on November 26
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	Bus	2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	14h 40m	5:25am	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on November 27
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	Bus	2:45pm	Santa Barbara Station	14h 40m	5:25am	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on November 28
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	Bus	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	10h 40m	5:25am	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on November 29
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	Bus	6:45pm	Santa Barbara (University of California), CA	9h 45m	4:30am	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on December 1
Operated by	Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended	Price and booking link
	Bus	7:50am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	Cheapest
	Bus	11:45am	Santa Barbara Station	5h 15m	5:00pm	Diridon Station	Fastest

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on December 2
Vehicle type	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
Bus	7:35am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	Cheapest
Bus	11:45am	Santa Barbara Station	5h 15m	5:00pm	Diridon Station	Fastest
Bus	7:50am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 8:05 AM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go from Santa Barbara to San Jose

We recommend taking the bus

Among the sustainable travel choices, the bus stands out as the good way to reach San Jose. The journey takes about 6 hours 25 minutes and with fares starting at just $46, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

3bus per day

6h 25mAverage Duration

232 milesDistance

9kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$46 - $205	Average Duration6h 25m	CO₂ emissions 9kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$58 - $131	Average Duration7h 25m	CO₂ emissions 35kg CO₂e

Where are the popular stops in Santa Barbara and San Jose?

Stops in Santa Barbara

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

Stops in San Jose

A
Diridon Station
65 Cahill St., San Jose, CA 95110
Visit page
B
Santiago Express San Jose
440 S King rd , an Jose CA 95116
Visit page
C
1118 E William St
1118 E William St, San Jose, CA 95116, USA
D
San Jose Bus Stop
100 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95113, USA
E
Tamien Station
Guadalupe Fwy, San Jose, CA 95110, USA
F
Diridon Station
65 Cahill St, San Jose, CA 95110, USA

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,607 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/511,440 reviews

Staff4.1

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 San Jose recent customer reviews

it was awful your bus was 3 hours late

Sophie N.

November 3, 2023

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

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US by bus

What is the distance between Santa Barbara and San Jose?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Santa Barbara to San Jose?
What are the best sights and things to do in San Jose?

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

$69

11/23

$135

Today

$135

11/25

$143

11/26

$143

11/27

$73

11/28

$75

11/29

$69

The cheapest trip from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US was searched and found on Nov 22, 2025 with a price of $69

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 San Jose, US, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $69 to $143 for a bus ticket from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $69 which is on 2025-11-29.