There are 8 ways to get from Houston to Santa Barbara by plane, bus (Flixbus), train (Amtrak), car, train, or bus (Greyhound, Flixbus)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly William P. Hobby Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
best- Fly from William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane HOU - SBA
7h 58m$192–803Fly George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
cheapest- Fly from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane IAH - SBA
8h 29m$134–606Bus via Ciudad Juárez
- Take the bus from Houston, TX - Houston Airline Dr to El Paso, TX - Tornado Bus Cobus
- Take the bus from El Paso to 2474 E Florence Ave - Huntington Parkbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stopbus
30h 59m$255–445Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Houston to Los Angelestrain Sunset Limited
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain Pacific Surfliner / ...
40h 23m$524–1,075Drive 1,601.2 mi
- Drive from Houston to Santa Barbaracar 1,601.2 mi
25h 54m$293–423Fly William P. Hobby Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- Fly from William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane HOU - LAX
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
9h 27m$168–629Fly George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- Fly from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane IAH - LAX
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
10h 4m$140–392Bus
- Take the bus from Hyatt Regency Houston to Fort Worthbus
- Take the bus from Ft Worth Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stopbus
37h 20m$340–559
Houston to Santa Barbara by train (Amtrak)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Houston to Santa Barbara is to fly and train which costs $140 - $400 and takes 10h 4m.
The fastest way to get from Houston to Santa Barbara is to fly which takes 7h 58m and costs $190 - $850.
No, there is no direct bus from Houston to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Capitol St @ Smith St and arriving at Santa Barbara Bus Stop via Houston, TX - Houston Airline Dr, El Paso, Huntington Park and Los Angeles Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 30h 59m.
No, there is no direct train from Houston to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Houston and arriving at Santa Barbara via Los Angeles. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 40h 23m.
The distance between Houston and Santa Barbara is 1500 miles. The road distance is 1610.6 miles.
The best way to get from Houston to Santa Barbara without a car is to bus via Ciudad Juárez which takes 30h 59m and costs $250 - $450.
It takes approximately 7h 58m to get from Houston to Santa Barbara, including transfers.
Houston to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Tornado Bus Company, depart from Houston, TX - Houston Airline Dr station.
Houston to Santa Barbara train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Houston station.
The best way to get from Houston to Santa Barbara is to fly which takes 7h 58m and costs $190 - $850. Alternatively, you can bus via Ciudad Juárez, which costs $250 - $450 and takes 30h 59m, you could also train, which costs $500 - $1,100 and takes 40h 23m.
What companies run services between Houston, TX, USA and Santa Barbara, CA, USA?
Southwest Airlines and American Airlines fly from William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) 3 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Capitol St @ Smith St to Santa Barbara Bus Stop via N Main St @ Airline Dr, Houston, TX - Houston Airline Dr, El Paso, TX - Tornado Bus Co, El Paso, Huntington Park, and Los Angeles Union Station in around 30h 59m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 29m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–850
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 20m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 15m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 50m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $190–800
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via El Paso
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
- Website
- united.com
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 7m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–390
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Austin
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $90–390
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from William P. Hobby Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 29m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–850
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 38m
- When
- Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–390
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–390
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 36m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $90–390
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Houston to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 36h 40m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $490–1,100
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 43m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $30–65
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 888 358 6762
- info@tornadobus.com
- Website
- tornadobus.com
Bus from Houston, TX - Houston Airline Dr to El Paso, TX - Tornado Bus Co
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–260
- Schedules at
- tornadobus.com
- Adults 11-59
- $120–260
- Phone
- +1 800-923-1799
- contactus@omexusa.net
- Website
- omnibusexpress.com
Bus from El Paso to 2474 E Florence Ave - Huntington Park
- Ave. Duration
- 14h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–160
- Schedules at
- omnibusexpress.com
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.com
Bus from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $13–22
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Phone
- +1 844-866-5263
- inquiries@vonlane.com
- Website
- vonlane.com
Bus from Hyatt Regency Houston to Fort Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $127–137
- Website
- https://vonlane.com
- Adult
- $127
- adult
- $137
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Ft Worth Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 29h 10m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $200–400
- 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
Why you should take the train in the US
Read the travel guide
Need to know: Greyhound
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Houston to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Tornado Bus Company, arrive at El Paso, TX - Tornado Bus Co station.
Santa Barbara is 2h behind Houston. It is currently 2:23 AM in Houston and 12:23 AM in Santa Barbara.
Houston to Santa Barbara train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Los Angeles station.
Yes, the driving distance between Houston to Santa Barbara is 1611 miles. It takes approximately 25h 54m to drive from Houston to Santa Barbara.
Book your Houston to Santa Barbara train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Houston to Santa Barbara bus tickets online with Omio.
There are 272+ hotels available in Santa Barbara.
















