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
Cheapest option
Caltrain, train • 13h 25m
10 alternative options
Fly San Francisco to Burbank • 4h 15m
BART to Oakland, fly to Burbank • 4h 18m
Fly Oakland to Long Beach, tram • 5h 21m
BART to San Jose, fly to Burbank • 5h 28m
BART, bus • 8h 18m
Bus • 9h 15m
Caltrain, bus • 11h 40m
Drive • 6h 20m
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The distance between San Francisco and Los Angeles is 349 miles. The road distance is 383.1 miles.
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.
It takes approximately 3h 57m to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles, including transfers.
San Francisco to Los Angeles bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Francisco Bus Station.
San Francisco to Los Angeles train services, operated by Caltrain, depart from San Francisco Caltrain station.
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.

- 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.

- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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

- Website
- jsx.com
Flights from Oakland to Burbank
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $40 - $320

- Website
- aa.com
Flights from San Francisco to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80 - $550

- Website
- spirit.com
Flights from Oakland to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $55 - $330

- Phone
- +1-323-466-3876
- 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

- 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

- 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

- 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

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

- 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

Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- 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/

- 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

- 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

Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Bus from San Jose to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/routes.html
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The quickest flight from San Francisco Airport to Los Angeles Airport is the direct flight which takes 1h 15m.
San Francisco to Los Angeles bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Los Angeles Union Station.
San Francisco to Los Angeles train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Los Angeles station.
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.
JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Delta and three other airlines offer flights from San Francisco Airport to Los Angeles Airport.
Book your San Francisco to Los Angeles bus tickets online with FlixBus and Busbud.
There are 2251+ hotels available in Los Angeles. Prices start at $100 USD per night.
The best way to get from San Francisco to San Francisco Airport is to BART which takes 29 min and costs $8 - $11.