There are 9 ways to get from Chicago to San Rafael by plane, bus, bus (Greyhound), train (Amtrak), car, subway, 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, bus
best- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane MDW - SFO
- Take the bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoffbus
7h 42m$152–635Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, bus
cheapest- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane ORD - SFO
- Take the bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoffbus
8h 19m$108–425Bus (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 2h$376–695Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Richmondtrain California Zephyr
2d 6h$544–1,226Drive 2,121.6 mi
- Drive from Chicago to San Rafaelcar 2,121.6 mi
32h 48m$388–560Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport, bus
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane MDW - OAK
- Take the bus from Oakland International Airport to San Rafaelbus
7h 56m$274–1,260Fly 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 El Cerrito Del Nortesubway
9h 25m$338–1,527Fly 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
10h 14m$318–1,460Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport, train
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF)plane ORD - SMF
- Take the train from Sacramento to Richmondtrain
10h 40m$218–910
Chicago to San Rafael by bus (Greyhound)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Chicago to San Rafael is to fly and bus which costs $100 - $430 and takes 8h 19m.
The fastest way to get from Chicago to San Rafael is to fly and bus which takes 7h 42m and costs $150 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from Chicago station to San Rafael. However, there are services departing from Chicago Bus Station and arriving at San Rafael Transit Center-Platform B via Denver Union Station, Sparks Transit Center, Vallejo Transit Center and El Cerrito del Norte BART Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 2h.
The distance between Chicago and San Rafael is 1903 miles. The road distance is 2134 miles.
The best way to get from Chicago to San Rafael without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 2h and costs $370 - $700.
It takes approximately 7h 42m to get from Chicago to San Rafael, including transfers.
Chicago to San Rafael bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Chicago Bus Station.
The best way to get from Chicago to San Rafael is to bus which takes 2 days 2h and costs $370 - $700. Alternatively, you can train, which costs $500 - $1,300 and takes 2 days 6h.
Chicago to San Rafael bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Denver Union Station.
San Rafael is 2h behind Chicago. It is currently 9:08 PM in Chicago and 7:08 PM in San Rafael.
What companies run services between Chicago, IL, USA and San Rafael, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Chicago Bus Station to San Rafael Transit Center-Platform B via Denver Union Station, Sparks Transit Center, Vallejo Transit Center, and El Cerrito del Norte BART Station in around 2d 2h. Alternatively, Amtrak operates a train from Chicago Union Station to Richmond once daily. Tickets cost $500–1,300 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 O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $90–400
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,200
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
- 6h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,200
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Oakland International Airport via Long Beach
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $280–1,300
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 57m
- 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
- $320–1,500
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 53m
- 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 Midway International Airport to Sacramento International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $290–1,400
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 51m
- 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
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–900
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–390
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–390
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–390
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 34m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $190–900
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Chicago Union Station to Richmond
- Ave. Duration
- 2d 4h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $500–1,300
- 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
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from Milpitas to El Cerrito Del Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–11
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
- Phone
- +1 415-461-4222
- Website
- marinairporter.com
Bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoff
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 6m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $20–30
- Website
- https://marinairporter.com/
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
- $160–310
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Denver Union Station to Sparks Transit Center
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $170–320
- 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/
- Phone
- +1 707-837-8700
- Website
- groometransportation.com
Bus from Oakland International Airport to San Rafael
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- $21–55
- Website
- https://groometransportation.com/sonoma-county/
- First Passenger
- $21–55
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More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Chicago to San Rafael is 2134 miles. It takes approximately 32h 48m to drive from Chicago to San Rafael.
There are 460+ hotels available in San Rafael.















