There are 9 ways to get from San Diego to San Rafael by plane, bus, train, subway, train (Amtrak), car, or bus (Greyhound)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to San Francisco International Airport, bus
best- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SAN - SFO
- Take the bus from San Francisco Airport to Larkspur - dropoffbus
3h 16m$75–371Bus (Greyhound)
cheapest- Take the bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to San Francisco Bus Stationbus Greyhound US0831
13h 54m$71–200Train, bus, BART
- Take the train from San Diego to Los Angelestrain
- Take the bus from Chinatown Station to San Jose - Huong Lan Sandwichbus
- Take the subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to El Cerrito Del Nortesubway
12h 30m$100–115Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from San Diego to Los Angelestrain Pacific Surfliner
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Oaklandtrain Coast Starlight
16h 49m$112–182Drive 511.6 mi
- Drive from San Diego to San Rafaelcar 511.6 mi
8h 33m$94–135Fly to Oakland International Airport, bus
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane SAN - OAK
- Take the bus from Oakland International Airport to San Rafaelbus
3h 23m$120–663Fly to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, BART
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane SAN - SJC
- Take the subway from Milpitas to El Cerrito Del Nortesubway
4h 39m$134–763Fly to Sonoma County Airport, bus
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Sonoma County Airport (STS)plane SAN - STS
- Take the bus from Sonoma Co Airport Terminal to San Rafaelbus
4h 20m$99–519Bus, BART
- Take the bus from San Ysidro to San Jose - King Rdbus San Ysidro
- Take the subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Montgomery Streetsubway Green-S
15h 1m$108–160
San Diego to San Rafael by train, foot, subway, and bus (Amtrak)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Diego to San Rafael is to train and bus and BART which costs $100 - $120 and takes 12h 30m.
The fastest way to get from San Diego to San Rafael is to fly and bus which takes 3h 16m and costs $75 - $380.
The distance between San Diego and San Rafael is 480 miles. The road distance is 514.6 miles.
The best way to get from San Diego to San Rafael without a car is to train and bus and BART which takes 12h 30m and costs $100 - $120.
It takes approximately 3h 16m to get from San Diego to San Rafael, including transfers.
The best way to get from San Diego to San Rafael is to train which takes 16h 49m and costs $110 - $190. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $70 - $200 and takes 13h 54m.
Yes, the driving distance between San Diego to San Rafael is 515 miles. It takes approximately 8h 33m to drive from San Diego to San Rafael.
There are 467+ hotels available in San Rafael.
What companies run services between San Diego, CA, USA and San Rafael, CA, USA?
You can take a train from San Diego to San Rafael Transit Center-Platform B via Los Angeles, Oakland, Lake Merritt, Montgomery Street, and Mission St & 2nd St in around 16h 49m. Alternatively, Greyhound USA operates a bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to San Francisco Bus Station once daily. Tickets cost $65–200 and the journey takes 11h 40m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–350
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–650
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Oakland International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 56m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–750
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 50m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–850
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Sonoma County Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $75–470
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–350
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–650
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–750
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Sonoma County Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 58m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–470
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–350
Flights from San Diego International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55–350
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from San Diego to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 56m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- $34–39
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Los Angeles to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $70–130
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to El Cerrito Del Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 14m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $8–11
- Website
- https://www.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
Subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Montgomery Street
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 5m
- 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/
- Phone
- +1 714-839-3500
- admin@lowfarebus.com
- Website
- xedohoang.com
Bus from Chinatown Station to San Jose - Huong Lan Sandwich
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 8m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $50
- Book at
- https://www.gotobus.com/hoangexpress/
- Website
- https://xedohoang.com/en
- 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
Bus from Sonoma Co Airport Terminal to San Rafael
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- $21–55
- Website
- https://groometransportation.com/sonoma-county/
- First Passenger
- $21–55
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from San Diego Greyhound Bus Stop to San Francisco Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–200
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 833 766 3553
- Website
- tufesainternacional.com
Bus from San Ysidro to San Jose - King Rd
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $90–120
- Schedules at
- tufesainternacional.com
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