There are 12 ways to get from Philadelphia to California by plane, bus (Greyhound), bus, train, car, or train (Amtrak)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Philadelphia International Airport to San Diego International Airport
best- Fly from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane PHL - SAN
7h 43m$315–1,308Fly Philadelphia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane PHL - SFO
8h 12m$194–287Bus (Greyhound)
- Take the bus from Philadelphia Bus Station to St Louis Bus Stationbus Greyhound US0421
- Take the bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Stationbus Greyhound US1210
2d 14h$431–811Bus, train
- Take the bus from Philadelphia Bus Station to Readingbus
- Take the bus from Reading to Chicago Bus Stationbus
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angelestrain
2d 18h$839–1,734Drive 2,695.8 mi
- Drive from Philadelphia to Los Angelescar 2,695.8 mi
43h 31m$492–711Fly Philadelphia International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Fly from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane PHL - LAX
8h 1m$210–816Train to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, fly to San Diego International Airport
- Take the train from 30th Street Station to BWI Thurgood Marshalltrain
- Fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane BWI - SAN
8h 25m$266–1,613Train to Newark Liberty International Airport, fly to John Wayne Airport Orange County
- Take the train from 30th Street Station to Newark Liberty International Airporttrain
- Fly from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to John Wayne Airport Orange County (SNA)plane EWR - SNA
8h 21m$396–1,516Train to Newark Liberty International Airport, fly to San Diego International Airport
- Take the train from 30th Street Station to Newark Liberty International Airporttrain
- Fly from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane EWR - SAN
8h 33m$238–1,006Train to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, fly to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Take the train from 30th Street Station to BWI Thurgood Marshalltrain
- Fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane BWI - SJC
8h 53m$280–1,614Train via Washington (Amtrak)
- Take the train from 30th Street Station to Washington Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Rockville Amtrak to Chicago Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Fullerton Amtrak Stationtrain
2d 18h$981–2,642Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from 30th Street Station to Chicago Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angelestrain
2d 23h$1,045–2,183
Philadelphia to California by bus (Greyhound)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Philadelphia to California is to fly which costs $190 - $290 and takes 8h 12m.
The fastest way to get from Philadelphia to California is to fly which takes 7h 43m and costs $310 - $1,400.
No, there is no direct bus from Philadelphia station to California station. However, there are services departing from Philadelphia Bus Station and arriving at Los Angeles Union Station via St Louis Bus Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 14h.
No, there is no direct train from Philadelphia station to California. However, there are services departing from 30th Street Station and arriving at Los Angeles via Union Station, Red Line Center Platform, Rockville Amtrak, Chicago Union Station and Fullerton Amtrak Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 18h.
The distance between Philadelphia and California is 2393 miles. The road distance is 2711.6 miles.
The best way to get from Philadelphia to California without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 14h and costs $430 - $850.
It takes approximately 7h 43m to get from Philadelphia to California, including transfers.
Philadelphia to California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Philadelphia Bus Station.
Philadelphia to California train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from 30th Street Station.
The best way to get from Philadelphia to California is to fly which takes 7h 43m and costs $310 - $1,400. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $430 - $850 and takes 2 days 14h, you could also train via Washington, which costs $950 - $2,700 and takes 2 days 18h.
What companies run services between Philadelphia, PA, USA and California, USA?
American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines fly from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) every 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Philadelphia Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station via St Louis Bus Station in around 2d 14h.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Diego International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,300
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 26m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,300
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,300
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Saturday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 32m
- When
- Saturday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 32m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 48m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 12m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,300
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 54m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 51m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 52m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–850
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 36m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,300
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,300
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 29m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,400
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 36m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Philadelphia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 53m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to John Wayne Airport Orange County via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 7m
- When
- Monday to Friday
- Estimated price
- $230–900
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–1,400
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 43h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $700–1,500
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from 30th Street Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $30–70
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from 30th Street Station to Newark Liberty International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- $25–55
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from 30th Street Station to Newark Liberty International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- $25–55
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from 30th Street Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $30–70
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from 30th Street Station to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 58m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $40–90
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Rockville Amtrak to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 24m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $240–490
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Chicago Union Station to Fullerton Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 42h 44m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $700–1,500
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from 30th Street Station to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 27h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $340–700
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 43h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $700–1,500
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak Acela
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from 30th Street Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 22m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $24–650
- Schedules at
- https://www.amtrak.com/acela-train
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Business Class
- $24–460
- First Class
- $140–650
Train from 30th Street Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 22m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $24–650
- Schedules at
- https://www.amtrak.com/acela-train
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Business Class
- $24–460
- First Class
- $140–650
Train from 30th Street Station to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 49m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $30–650
- Schedules at
- https://www.amtrak.com/acela-train
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Business Class
- $30–470
- First Class
- $150–650
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Philadelphia Bus Station to St Louis Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 50m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $140–270
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 40h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $290–550
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.com
Bus from Philadelphia Bus Station to Reading
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $8–15
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
Bus from Reading to Chicago Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 40m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $130–220
- Schedules at
- flixbus.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
Philadelphia to California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at St Louis Bus Station.
California is 3h behind Philadelphia. It is currently 7:56 PM in Philadelphia and 4:56 PM in California.
Philadelphia to California train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Washington Union Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Philadelphia to California is 2712 miles. It takes approximately 43h 31m to drive from Philadelphia to California.
Book your Philadelphia to California train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Philadelphia to California bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
There are 3389+ hotels available in California.









