There are 7 ways to get from Merced to Santa Barbara by bus (Flixbus, Amtrak), car, bus, plane, bus (Greyhound, Amtrak), train, or subway
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Bus
best- Take the bus from Merced to Bakersfield Train Stationbus FlixBus 2007
- Take the bus from Bakersfield to Santa Barbarabus Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service
8hDrive 268.3 mi
cheapest- Drive from Merced to Santa Barbaracar 268.3 mi
5h 38m$49–71Bus to Sacramento International Airport, fly to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Take the bus from Merced to Sacramento Bus Stationbus
- Fly from Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane SMF - SBA
7h 10m$83–406Bus via Merced Bus Stop
- Take the bus from Merced Bus Stop to Bakersfield Train Stationbus Greyhound US0810
- Take the bus from Bakersfield to Santa Barbarabus Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service
8h 10mFly Merced Municipal Airport to Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport, train
- Fly from Merced Municipal Airport (MCE) to Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR)plane MCE - HHR
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
7h 29m$122–299Bus, BART to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Take the bus from Merced Bus Stop to Modesto Bus Stopbus
- Take the bus from Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exi to BART Dublin Stationbus
- Take the subway from Dublin / Pleasanton to Daly Citysubway
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane SFO - SBA
8h 18m$81–355Bus, bus to Oakland International Airport, fly to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Take the bus from Merced Bus Stop to Modesto Bus Stopbus
- Take the bus from Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exi to BART Dublin Stationbus
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane OAK - SBA
7h 33m$76–363
Sacramento International Airport (SMF) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Merced to Santa Barbara is to drive which costs $45 - $75 and takes 5h 38m.
The fastest way to get from Merced to Santa Barbara is to drive which takes 5h 38m and costs $45 - $75.
No, there is no direct bus from Merced to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Merced and arriving at Santa Barbara via Bakersfield. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h.
The distance between Merced and Santa Barbara is 331 miles. The road distance is 269.9 miles.
The best way to get from Merced to Santa Barbara without a car is to bus which takes 8h and costs .
It takes approximately 8h to get from Merced to Santa Barbara, including transfers.
Merced to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, depart from Merced station.
Merced to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, arrive at Bakersfield Train Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Merced to Santa Barbara is 270 miles. It takes approximately 5h 38m to drive from Merced to Santa Barbara.
Book your Merced to Santa Barbara bus tickets online with Omio.
What companies run services between Merced, CA, USA and Santa Barbara, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Merced to Santa Barbara via Bakersfield Train Station and Bakersfield in around 8h.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–380
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40–280
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Sacramento International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–370
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- When
- Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $45–300
- Website
- advancedaircharters.com
Flights from Merced Municipal Airport to Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–170
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 36m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $30–120
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from Dublin / Pleasanton to Daly City
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from Merced to Bakersfield Train Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $21–90
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Adult
- $21–90
Bus from Merced to Sacramento Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $21–27
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Bus from Bakersfield to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- 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 Merced Bus Stop to Bakersfield Train Station
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–70
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Merced Bus Stop to Modesto Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $23–50
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Website
- stanrta.org
Bus from Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exi to BART Dublin Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $2
- Website
- https://www.stanrta.org/
- One Day Pass
- $2
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