There are 9 ways to get from Chicago to Berkeley by plane, subway, bus (Greyhound), train (Amtrak), car, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, BART
best- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane MDW - SFO
- Take the subway from San Francisco International Airport to Downtown Berkeleysubway
7h 8m$144–619Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, BART
cheapest- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane ORD - SFO
- Take the subway from San Francisco International Airport to Downtown Berkeleysubway
7h 45m$94–389Bus (Greyhound)
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Denver Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Denver Union Station to Sparks Transit Centerbus
- Take the bus from Sparks Transit Center to Vallejo Transit Centerbus
2d 1h$372–678Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Emeryvilletrain California Zephyr
2d 4h$550–1,300Drive 2,115.4 mi
- Drive from Chicago to Berkeleycar 2,115.4 mi
32h 43m$387–558Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane MDW - OAK
6h 58m$266–1,212Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, BART
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane MDW - SJC
- Take the subway from Milpitas to Downtown Berkeleysubway
8h 7m$332–1,518Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, BART
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane ORD - SJC
- Take the subway from Milpitas to Downtown Berkeleysubway
8h 43m$212–918Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Sacramento International Airport, train
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF)plane MDW - SMF
- Take the train from Sacramento to Richmondtrain
9h 14m$314–1,353
Chicago to Berkeley by bus and subway (Greyhound)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Chicago to Berkeley is to fly and BART which costs $90 - $390 and takes 7h 45m.
The fastest way to get from Chicago to Berkeley is to fly which takes 6h 58m and costs $260 - $1,300.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Chicago Union Station station and arriving at Emeryville. Services depart once daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 2 days 4h.
The distance between Chicago and Berkeley is 1901 miles. The road distance is 2127.7 miles.
The best way to get from Chicago to Berkeley without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 1h and costs $370 - $700.
It takes approximately 7h 8m to get from Chicago to Berkeley, including transfers.
Chicago to Berkeley train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Chicago Union Station.
The best way to get from Chicago to Berkeley is to bus which takes 2 days 1h and costs $370 - $700. Alternatively, you can train, which costs $550 - $1,300 and takes 2 days 4h, you could also fly, which costs $260 - $1,300 and takes 6h 58m.
Berkeley is 2h behind Chicago. It is currently 4:27 AM in Chicago and 2:27 AM in Berkeley.
Chicago to Berkeley train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Emeryville station.
What companies run services between Chicago, IL, USA and Berkeley, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Chicago Bus Station to North Berkeley via Denver Union Station, Sparks Transit Center, Vallejo Transit Center, El Cerrito del Norte Station, and El Cerrito Del Norte in around 2d 1h. Alternatively, Amtrak operates a train from Chicago Union Station to Emeryville once daily. Tickets cost $550–1,300 and the journey takes 2d 4h.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 24m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,200
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,200
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–1,200
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport via Long Beach
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $290–1,300
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $85–380
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,500
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,500
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Reno
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,500
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 52m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,500
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Ontario/San Bernardino
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $350–1,600
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–950
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–900
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Sacramento International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $290–1,300
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 16m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,400
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 20m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,400
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 54m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,400
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Ontario/San Bernardino
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,500
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–370
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–370
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–900
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–900
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–370
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–900
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 52m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–1,000
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from San Francisco International Airport to Downtown Berkeley
- Ave. Duration
- 54 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $11–14
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
Subway from Milpitas to Downtown Berkeley
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Chicago Union Station to Emeryville
- Ave. Duration
- 2d 4h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $550–1,300
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Sacramento to Richmond
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 26m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $17–40
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Chicago Bus Station to Denver Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 9m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $160–300
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Denver Union Station to Sparks Transit Center
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $170–310
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Sparks Transit Center to Vallejo Transit Center
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 50m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $30–60
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Want to know more about travelling around United States
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Need to know: Greyhound
Read the travel guide
Why you should take the train in the US
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Chicago to Berkeley is 2128 miles. It takes approximately 32h 43m to drive from Chicago to Berkeley.
Book your Chicago to Berkeley train tickets online with Omio.
There are 787+ hotels available in Berkeley.












