There are 11 ways to get from Washington DC to California by plane, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), train (Amtrak), car, subway, or train
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 45m$435–1,809Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport
cheapest- Take the subway from McPherson Square, 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 25m$152–621Bus
- 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 13h$442–928Train (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 15h$822–1,883Drive 2,610.6 mi
- Drive from Washington DC to Los Angelescar 2,610.6 mi
42h 49m$477–689Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to San Diego International Airport
- Take the subway from McPherson Square, 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
7h 57m$224–913Fly 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
7h 54m$260–1,117Fly 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 9m$283–1,217Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to Los Angeles International Airport
- Take the subway from McPherson Square, 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
8h 17m$309–721Train 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 1m$246–1,658Train to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, fly to Ontario International Airport, train
- Take the train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshalltrain
- Fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Ontario International Airport (ONT)plane BWI - ONT
- Take the train from Rancho Cucamonga to L.A. Union Stationtrain
10h 17m$254–1,567
Washington DC to California by foot, subway, and bus
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Washington DC to California is to subway and fly which costs $150 - $650 and takes 8h 25m.
The fastest way to get from Washington DC to California is to fly which takes 7h 45m and costs $430 - $1,900.
No, there is no direct train from Washington DC to California. However, there are services departing from Metro Center, Red Line Track 1 Platform and arriving at Los Angeles via Washington Union Station and Chicago Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 15h.
The distance between Washington DC and California is 2297 miles. The road distance is 2625.8 miles.
The best way to get from Washington DC to California without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 13h and costs $440 - $950.
It takes approximately 7h 45m to get from Washington DC to California, including transfers.
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 45m and costs $430 - $1,900. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $440 - $950 and takes 2 days 13h, you could also train, which costs $800 - $1,900 and takes 2 days 15h.
California is 3h behind Washington DC. It is currently 1:39 PM in Washington DC and 10:39 AM in California.
Washington DC to California train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Chicago Union Station.
What companies run services between Washington DC, USA and California, USA?
Alaska Airlines, Inc., American Airlines, and three other airlines fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to San Diego International Airport (SAN) every 3 hours. Alternatively, you can take a vehicle from Washington DC to Los Angeles Union Station via Metro Center, Red Line Track 1 Platform, Union Station, Red Line Center Platform, Washington Union Station, Pittsburgh Intermodal Station, and St Louis Bus Station in around 2d 13h.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 2m
- When
- Monday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $430–1,800
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 48m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $440–1,800
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 47m
- When
- Monday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $440–1,800
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 25m
- When
- Monday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 33m
- When
- Monday to Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 11m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,200
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 17m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $280–1,200
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Sunday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,200
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 7m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 13m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 21m
- When
- Sunday, Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Nashville
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $440–1,800
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–950
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–1,200
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–1,200
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 46m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Kansas City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 34m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Ontario International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $430–1,800
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $430–1,800
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Diego International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 39m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–1,200
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Diego International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 50m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $440–1,800
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 23m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,200
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
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 48m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $220–480
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 43h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $600–1,400
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $8–19
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 202 466 3876
- Website
- wmata.com
Subway from McPherson Square, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platform to Washington Dulles International Airport, Silver Line Center Platform
- Ave. Duration
- 48 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
- 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
- Every 4 hours
- 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
- (800) 371-LINK (5465)
- Website
- metrolinktrains.com
Train from Rancho Cucamonga to L.A. Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $8–12
- Website
- https://metrolinktrains.com
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
- $35–75
- 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
- $100–200
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 40h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $310–650
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.com
Bus from Washington Union Station to Pittsburgh Intermodal Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $30–55
- 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.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Need to know: Greyhound
Read the travel guide
Why you should take the train in the US
Read the travel guide
More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between Washington DC to California is 2626 miles. It takes approximately 42h 49m to drive from Washington DC to California.
There are 3386+ hotels available in California.
















