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There are 12 ways to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles by plane, tram, subway, train, bus or car

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

Recommended option

Fly San Francisco to Los Angeles, tram  •  3h 57m

  1. Fly from San Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX) SFO - LAX
  2. Take the tram from Willowbrook - Rosa Parks Station - Metro A-Line to Historic Broadway Station

Cheapest option

Caltrain, train  •  13h 25m

  1. Take the Caltrain from San Francisco Caltrain to San Jose Diridon Caltrain L1 / ...
  2. Take the train from San Jose to Los Angeles Coast Starlight

10 alternative options

BART to Oakland, fly to Los Angeles, tram  •  4h 10m

  1. Take the BART from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Coliseum
  2. Fly from Oakland (OAK) to Los Angeles (LAX) OAK - LAX
  3. Take the tram from Aviation / LAX Station to Willowbrook - Rosa Parks Station - Metro C-Line
  4. Take the tram from Willowbrook - Rosa Parks Station - Metro A-Line to Historic Broadway Station

Fly San Francisco to Burbank  •  4h 15m

  1. Fly from San Francisco (SFO) to Burbank (BUR) SFO - BUR

BART to Oakland, fly to Burbank  •  4h 18m

  1. Take the BART from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Coliseum
  2. Fly from Oakland (OAK) to Burbank (BUR) OAK - BUR

Fly Oakland to Long Beach, tram  •  5h 21m

  1. Fly from Oakland (OAK) to Long Beach (LGB) OAK - LGB
  2. Take the tram from Del Amo Station to Historic Broadway Station

BART to San Jose, fly to Burbank  •  5h 28m

  1. Take the BART from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Milpitas
  2. Fly from San Jose (SJC) to Burbank (BUR) SJC - BUR

Fly Oakland to Ontario/San Bernardino, train  •  5h 46m

  1. Fly from Oakland (OAK) to Ontario/San Bernardino (ONT) OAK - ONT
  2. Take the train from Rancho Cucamonga station to L. A. Union Station station

BART, bus  •  8h 18m

  1. Take the BART from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Berryessa / North San Jose Green-N
  2. Take the bus from San José, CA - King Rd to Chinatown Station San Fran

Bus  •  9h 15m

  1. Take the bus from San Francisco Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station Us0831 / ...

Caltrain, bus  •  11h 40m

  1. Take the Caltrain from San Francisco Caltrain to San Jose Diridon Caltrain L1 / ...
  2. Take the bus from San Jose to Los Angeles Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Drive  •  6h 20m

  1. Drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles 383.1 miles

San Francisco to Los Angeles by bus

The bus journey time between San Francisco and Los Angeles is around 9h 15m and covers a distance of around 396 miles. Operated by Greyhound USA, Flixbus USA and Xe Do Hoang Transportation, the San Francisco to Los Angeles bus service departs from San Francisco Bus Station and arrives in Los Angeles Union Station. Typically 32 buses run weekly, although weekend and holiday schedules can vary so check in advance.

32 Weekly Buses
9h 15m Average Duration
$30 Cheapest Price
See schedules

Questions & Answers

The cheapest way to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles is to BART and bus which costs $35 - $65 and takes 8h 18m.

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The fastest way to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles is to fly and tram. Taking this option will cost $70 - $260 and takes 3h 57m.

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Yes, there is a direct bus departing from San Francisco Bus Station station and arriving at Los Angeles Union Station station. Services depart five times a day, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 9h 15m.

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No, there is no direct train from San Francisco to Los Angeles. However, there are services departing from San Francisco Caltrain and arriving at Los Angeles via San Jose. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h 25m.

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The distance between San Francisco and Los Angeles is 349 miles. The road distance is 383.1 miles.

Get driving directions

The best way to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles without a car is to BART and bus which takes 8h 18m and costs $35 - $65.

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It takes approximately 3h 57m to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles, including transfers.

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San Francisco to Los Angeles bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Francisco Bus Station.

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San Francisco to Los Angeles train services, operated by Caltrain, depart from San Francisco Caltrain station.

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The best way to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles is to fly which takes 4h 15m and costs $85 - $300. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $30 - $110 and takes 9h 15m, you could also Caltrain and train, which costs $26 - $180 and takes 13h 25m.

Mode details

Map of how to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Launch map view
  • Distance: 349.5 miles
  • Duration: 3h 57m

What companies run services between San Francisco, CA, USA and Los Angeles, CA, USA?

Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, Inc. fly from San Francisco to Los Angeles every 3 hours. Alternatively, Greyhound USA operates a bus from San Francisco Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station 3 times a day. Tickets cost $40 - $100 and the journey takes 9h 15m. Two other operators also service this route.

Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Website
southwest.com
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 26m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$65 - $290
Flights from Oakland to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 28m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$70 - $360
Flights from Oakland to Los Angeles via Las Vegas
Ave. Duration
3h 35m
When
Tuesday and Wednesday
Estimated price
$70 - $360
Flights from San Francisco to Burbank
Ave. Duration
1h 12m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$100 - $290
Flights from Oakland to Burbank
Ave. Duration
1h 12m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$110 - $380
Flights from Oakland to Long Beach
Ave. Duration
1h 24m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$160 - $550
Flights from Oakland to Long Beach via Las Vegas
Ave. Duration
3h 32m
When
Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Estimated price
$180 - $650
Flights from San Jose to Burbank
Ave. Duration
1h 7m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$100 - $350
Flights from Oakland to Ontario/San Bernardino
Ave. Duration
1h 19m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$130 - $460
Flights from Oakland to Ontario/San Bernardino via Las Vegas
Ave. Duration
3h 27m
When
Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday
Estimated price
$150 - $550
United Airlines
Website
united.com
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 31m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$80 - $380
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles via San Luis Obispo County Apt
Ave. Duration
2h 56m
When
Friday and Saturday
Estimated price
$80 - $380
Flights from San Francisco to Burbank
Ave. Duration
1h 22m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$120 - $430
Delta
Website
delta.com
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 33m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$110 - $340
Flights from Oakland to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 33m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$150 - $470
Alaska Airlines, Inc.
Website
alaskaair.com
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 32m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$60 - $320
Flights from San Francisco to Burbank
Ave. Duration
1h 28m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$130 - $750
JetBlue Airways
Website
jetblue.com
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 31m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$55 - $370
Flights from Oakland to Burbank
Ave. Duration
1h 15m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$40 - $320
JSX
Website
jsx.com
Flights from Oakland to Burbank
Ave. Duration
1h 15m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$40 - $320
American Airlines
Website
aa.com
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 34m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$80 - $550
Spirit Airlines
Website
spirit.com
Flights from Oakland to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
1h 27m
When
Every day
Estimated price
$55 - $330
Train operators
Metro Los Angeles
Phone
+1-323-466-3876
Email
CustomerRelations@metro.net
Website
metro.net
Tram from Willowbrook - Rosa Parks Station - Metro A-Line to Historic Broadway Station
Ave. Duration
33 min
Frequency
Every 15 minutes
Estimated price
$2
Website
Metro Los Angeles
persons with disabilities
$1
Senior Citizens
$1
K-12 students
$1
Adult
$2
Tram from Aviation / LAX Station to Willowbrook - Rosa Parks Station - Metro C-Line
Ave. Duration
14 min
Frequency
Every 15 minutes
Estimated price
$2
Website
Metro Los Angeles
persons with disabilities
$1
Senior Citizens
$1
K-12 students
$1
Adult
$2
Tram from Del Amo Station to Historic Broadway Station
Ave. Duration
43 min
Frequency
Every 15 minutes
Estimated price
$2
Website
Metro Los Angeles
persons with disabilities
$1
Senior Citizens
$1
K-12 students
$1
Adult
$2
BART
Phone
+1-510-464-6000
Website
bart.gov
Subway from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Coliseum
Ave. Duration
25 min
Frequency
Every 15 minutes
Estimated price
$3 - $5
Website
http://www.bart.gov
Subway from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Milpitas
Ave. Duration
1h 6m
Frequency
Every 30 minutes
Estimated price
$6 - $10
Website
http://www.bart.gov
Subway from Civic Center / UN Plaza to Berryessa / North San Jose
Ave. Duration
1h 10m
Frequency
Every 30 minutes
Estimated price
$7 - $10
Website
http://www.bart.gov
Metrolink Trains
Phone
(800) 371-LINK (5465)
Website
metrolinktrains.com
Train from Rancho Cucamonga station to L. A. Union Station station
Ave. Duration
1h 17m
Frequency
Hourly
Estimated price
$9 - $26
Website
Metrolink Trains
children 5 and under with a paid adult
$0
Senior / Disabled / Medicare
$4 - $17
Student / Youth 6-18
$6 - $18
Caltrain
Phone
+1 800-660-4287
Website
caltrain.com
Train from San Francisco Caltrain to San Jose Diridon Caltrain
Ave. Duration
1h 40m
Frequency
Every 30 minutes
Estimated price
$9 - $12
Schedules at
caltrain.com
One-way Senior / Disabled / Youth / Medicare Cardholder
$4 - $6
One-way Adult
$9 - $12
Amtrak
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
Phone
+1 800-872-7245
Website
amtrak.com
Train from San Jose to Los Angeles
Ave. Duration
10h 45m
Frequency
Once daily
Estimated price
$17 - $160
Website
https://www.amtrak.com/routes.html
Child Coach - Advance Purchase
$17 - $60
Child Coach - short notice
$35 - $55
Child Business Class - advance purchase
$30 - $100
Child Business Class - short notice
$30 - $100
Coach Seat - Advance Purchase
$45 - $110
Business Seat - advance purchase
$60 - $200
Business Seat - short notice
$70 - $200
Coach Seat - short notice
$45 - $160
Bus operators
Hoang Express
Website
gotobus.com
Bus from San José, CA - King Rd to Chinatown Station
Ave. Duration
5h 30m
Frequency
Once daily
Estimated price
$30 - $50
Book at
gotobus.com
Greyhound USA
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
Phone
+1 214-849-8100
Email
ifsr@greyhound.com
Website
greyhound.com
Bus from San Francisco Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station
Ave. Duration
9h 15m
Frequency
3 times a day
Estimated price
$40 - $100
Website
https://www.greyhound.com/
Flixbus USA
Phone
+1 (855) 626-8585
Website
flixbus.com
Bus from San Francisco to Los Angeles Downtown
Ave. Duration
8h
Frequency
Twice daily
Estimated price
$30 - $110
Schedules at
flixbus.com
Adult
$30 - $110
Xe Do Hoang Transportation
Phone
+1 408-729-7885 / +1-888-834-9336
Website
xedohoang.com
Bus from San Francisco, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Ave. Duration
7h 30m
Frequency
Once daily
Estimated price
$40 - $60
Schedules at
xedohoang.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.

More Questions & Answers

The quickest flight from San Francisco Airport to Los Angeles Airport is the direct flight which takes 1h 15m.

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San Francisco to Los Angeles bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Los Angeles Union Station.

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San Francisco to Los Angeles train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Los Angeles station.

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Yes, the driving distance between San Francisco to Los Angeles is 383 miles. It takes approximately 6h 20m to drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

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JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Delta and three other airlines offer flights from San Francisco Airport to Los Angeles Airport.

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Book your San Francisco to Los Angeles bus tickets online with FlixBus and Busbud.

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There are 2251+ hotels available in Los Angeles. Prices start at $100 USD per night.

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The best way to get from San Francisco to San Francisco Airport is to BART which takes 29 min and costs $8 - $11.

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