There are 11 ways to get from Washington, DC to California by plane, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), train (Amtrak), car, train, 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.
Fly Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport
best- Fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane DCA - SAN
7h 41m$456–1,912Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport
cheapest- Take the subway from Farragut West, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platform to Washington Dulles International Airport, Silver Line Center Platformsubway
- Fly from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane IAD - SFO
8h 49m$134–574Bus
- Take the bus from Washington Union Station to Pittsburgh Intermodal Stationbus
- Take the bus from Pittsburgh Intermodal Station to St Louis Bus Stationbus
- Take the bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
2d 10h$215–560Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Washington Union Station to Chicago Union Stationtrain Floridian / ...
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angelestrain Southwest Chief / ...
2d 14h$303–887Drive 2,611.6 mi
- Drive from Washington, DC to Los Angelescar 2,611.6 mi
42h 52m$477–689Fly Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane DCA - SFO
8h 26m$254–1,020Fly Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane DCA - LAX
8h 41m$245–971Train to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, fly to San Diego International Airport
- Take the train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshalltrain
- Fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane BWI - SAN
8h 3m$264–1,650Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to San Diego International Airport
- Take the subway from Farragut West, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platform to Washington Dulles International Airport, Silver Line Center Platformsubway
- Fly from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to San Diego International Airport (SAN)plane IAD - SAN
8h 29m$246–1,016Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to Los Angeles International Airport
- Take the subway from Farragut West, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platform to Washington Dulles International Airport, Silver Line Center Platformsubway
- Fly from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane IAD - LAX
9h$315–625Train to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, fly to Sacramento International Airport
- Take the train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshalltrain
- Fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Sacramento International Airport (SMF)plane BWI - SMF
8h 10m$304–1,849
Washington, DC to California by bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Washington, DC to California is to subway and fly which costs $130 - $600 and takes 8h 49m.
The fastest way to get from Washington, DC to California is to fly which takes 7h 41m and costs $450 - $2,000.
No, there is no direct bus from Washington, DC station to California station. However, there are services departing from Washington Union Station and arriving at Los Angeles Union Station via Pittsburgh Intermodal Station and St Louis Bus Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 10h.
No, there is no direct train from Washington, DC station to California. However, there are services departing from Washington Union Station and arriving at Los Angeles via Chicago Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 14h.
The distance between Washington, DC and California is 2296 miles. The road distance is 2626.9 miles.
The best way to get from Washington, DC to California without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 10h and costs $210 - $600.
It takes approximately 7h 41m to get from Washington, DC to California, including transfers.
Washington, DC to California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Washington Union Station.
Washington, DC to California train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Washington Union Station.
The best way to get from Washington, DC to California is to fly which takes 7h 41m and costs $450 - $2,000. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $210 - $600 and takes 2 days 10h, you could also train, which costs $300 - $900 and takes 2 days 14h.
What companies run services between Washington, DC, USA and California, USA?
Alaska Airlines, Inc., Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Washington Union Station to Los Angeles Union Station via Pittsburgh Intermodal Station and St Louis Bus Station in around 2d 10h.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 42m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $470–1,900
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $450–1,900
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 53m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $470–2,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $460–1,900
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 32m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 53m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 56m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 5m
- When
- Monday to Thursday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 42m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- When
- Tuesday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 45m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 57m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 37m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 47m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 55m
- When
- Monday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $300–1,300
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 15m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,300
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 20m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,300
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 25m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,300
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Ontario/San Bernardino
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 15m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,400
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 52m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–500
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 59m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $120–500
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $300–1,300
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $460–1,900
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 15m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–500
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–550
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $300–1,300
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Sacramento International Airport via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,300
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 44m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $450–1,900
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Washington Union Station to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 40m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $100–400
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 43h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $200–490
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 38 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $6–60
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak Northeast Regional
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $4–200
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home
- Schedules at
- https://www.amtrak.com/northeast-regional-train
- Coach
- $4–200
- Business Class
- $45–230
- Phone
- 1-866-743-3682
- Website
- mta.maryland.gov
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $2–9
- Website
- https://www.mta.maryland.gov
- Standard Fare
- $2–9
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak Acela
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $6–550
- Schedules at
- https://www.amtrak.com/acela-train
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Business Class
- $6–440
- First Class
- $100–550
- Phone
- +1 202 466 3876
- Website
- wmata.com
Subway from Farragut West, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platform to Washington Dulles International Airport, Silver Line Center Platform
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–8
- Website
- https://www.wmata.com
- standard fare after 9:30 p.m
- $2–3
- standard fare 5 a.m - 9:30 p.m.
- $5–8
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Washington Union Station to Pittsburgh Intermodal Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 15m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $35–60
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from Pittsburgh Intermodal Station to St Louis Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 55m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $60–130
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 38h 45m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $120–370
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from Washington Union Station to Pittsburgh Intermodal Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $35–55
- 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.
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More Questions & Answers
Washington, DC to California bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Pittsburgh Intermodal Station.
California is 3h behind Washington, DC. It is currently 3:01 PM in Washington, DC and 12:01 PM in California.
Washington, DC to California train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Chicago Union Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Washington, DC to California is 2627 miles. It takes approximately 42h 52m to drive from Washington, DC to California.
Book your Washington, DC to California train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Washington, DC to California bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
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