There are 9 ways to get from Santa Barbara to Modesto by bus (Amtrak), train, bus, car, plane, bus (Amtrak, Greyhound), 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 via Bakersfield
best- Take the bus from Santa Barbara to Bakersfieldbus Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service
- Take the bus from Bakersfield - 1821 18th St International to Modestobus 1
8h 45m$89–137Fly Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to San Francisco International Airport, BART, bus
cheapest- Fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SBA - SFO
- Take the subway from Embarcadero to Dublin / Pleasantonsubway
- Take the bus from BART Dublin Station to Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exibus
6h 39m$52–264Train, bus
- Take the train from Santa Barbara to Oaklandtrain Coast Starlight
- Take the bus from BART Dublin Station to Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exibus 90
11h 51m$109–230Drive 297.6 mi
- Drive from Santa Barbara to Modestocar 297.6 mi
5h 57m$55–79Fly Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Oakland International Airport, bus
- Fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane SBA - OAK
- Take the bus from BART Dublin Station to Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exibus
5h 56m$58–363Train, bus via Bakersfield
- Take the train from Santa Barbara to Van Nuystrain
- Take the bus from Los Angeles - Pacoima to Bakersfield, CAbus
- Take the bus from Bakersfield, CA to Modestobus
9h 6m$104–189Bus
- Take the bus from Santa Barbara to Bakersfieldbus Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service
- Take the bus from Bakersfield Train Station to Modesto Bus Stopbus Greyhound US0810 / ...
9h 10m$78–140Fly Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Sacramento International Airport, bus
- Fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF)plane SBA - SMF
- Take the bus from Sacramento Bus Station to Modesto Bus Stopbus
7h 2m$88–485Train to Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport, fly to Merced Municipal Airport, bus
- Take the train from Santa Barbara to Los Angelestrain
- Fly from Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR) to Merced Municipal Airport (MCE)plane HHR - MCE
- Take the bus from Merced to Modestobus
9h 3m$91–180
Santa Barbara to Modesto by bus and foot
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Santa Barbara to Modesto is to drive which costs $50 - $80 and takes 5h 57m.
The fastest way to get from Santa Barbara to Modesto is to fly and bus which takes 5h 56m and costs $55 - $370.
No, there is no direct bus from Santa Barbara to Modesto. However, there are services departing from Santa Barbara and arriving at Modesto via Truxtun @ Amtrak and Bakersfield - 1821 18th St International. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 8h 45m.
The distance between Santa Barbara and Modesto is 364 miles. The road distance is 299.3 miles.
The best way to get from Santa Barbara to Modesto without a car is to bus via Bakersfield which takes 8h 45m and costs $85 - $140.
It takes approximately 8h 45m to get from Santa Barbara to Modesto, including transfers.
Santa Barbara to Modesto bus services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Santa Barbara station.
Santa Barbara to Modesto bus services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Bakersfield station.
Yes, the driving distance between Santa Barbara to Modesto is 299 miles. It takes approximately 5h 57m to drive from Santa Barbara to Modesto.
Book your Santa Barbara to Modesto bus tickets online with Omio.
What companies run services between Santa Barbara, CA, USA and Modesto, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Santa Barbara to Modesto via Bakersfield, Truxtun @ Amtrak, Downtown Transit Center, and Bakersfield - 1821 18th St International in around 8h 45m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Oakland International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $50–350
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Sacramento International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–450
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $35–240
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Sacramento International Airport via San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $75–470
- Website
- advancedaircharters.com
Flights from Jack Northrop Field/Hawthorne Municipal Airport to Merced Municipal Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $50–95
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Santa Barbara to Oakland
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $100–230
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Santa Barbara to Van Nuys
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 14m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $24–55
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 53m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $29–65
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from Embarcadero to Dublin / Pleasanton
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $5–8
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Bus from Santa Barbara to Bakersfield
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $45–75
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 866 691 9732
- eplasales@eplalimo.com
- Website
- eplalimo.com
Bus from Bakersfield - 1821 18th St International to Modesto
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 25m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $40–60
- Website
- https://eplalimo.com/
- One Way
- $40–60
Bus from Los Angeles - Pacoima to Bakersfield, CA
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 23m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $29–45
- Website
- https://eplalimo.com/
- One Way
- $29–45
Bus from Merced to Modesto
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $24–35
- Website
- https://eplalimo.com/
- One Way
- $24–35
- Website
- stanrta.org
Bus from BART Dublin Station to Bay C - Modesto Transit Center - 2nd exi
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 10m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $2
- Website
- https://www.stanrta.org/
- One Day Pass
- $2
- Phone
- +1 833 766 3553
- Website
- tufesainternacional.com
Bus from Los Angeles - Pacoima to Bakersfield, CA
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 28m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $35–60
- Schedules at
- tufesainternacional.com
- Adult One way
- $35–60
Bus from Bakersfield, CA to Modesto
- Ave. Duration
- 3h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $50–75
- Schedules at
- tufesainternacional.com
- Adult One way
- $50–75
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Bakersfield Train Station to Modesto Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 25m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $30–65
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Sacramento Bus Station to Modesto Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $13–26
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Merced to Modesto
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $6–13
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.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
Why you should take the train in the US
Read the travel guide
Need to know: Greyhound
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
There are 72+ hotels available in Modesto.

















