There are 9 ways to get from Washington to Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
best- Fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane DCA - SBA
9h 10m$246–980Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to Santa Barbara Municipal 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 Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane IAD - SBA
10h 55m$163–655Bus
- 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
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stopbus
2d 16h$513–808Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Washington Union Station to Chicago Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angelestrain
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
2d 18h$1,680–2,642Drive 2,687.9 mi
- Drive from Washington to Santa Barbaracar 2,687.9 mi
44h 13m$460–664Fly Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- Fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane DCA - LAX
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
10h 19m$254–545Train to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, fly to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
- Take the train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshalltrain
- Fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA)plane BWI - SBA
11h$183–1,297Subway to Washington Dulles International Airport, fly to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- 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
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
12h 17m$194–506Train to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, fly to Los Angeles International Airport, train
- Take the train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshalltrain
- Fly from Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)plane BWI - LAX
- Take the train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbaratrain
12h 15m$234–1,248
Washington to Santa Barbara by bus
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Washington to Santa Barbara is to subway and fly and train which costs $190 - $550 and takes 12h 17m.
The fastest way to get from Washington to Santa Barbara is to fly which takes 9h 10m and costs $240 - $1,000.
No, there is no direct bus from Washington station to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Washington Union Station and arriving at Santa Barbara Bus Stop via Pittsburgh Intermodal Station, St Louis Bus Station and Los Angeles Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 16h.
No, there is no direct train from Washington station to Santa Barbara. However, there are services departing from Washington Union Station and arriving at Santa Barbara via Chicago Union Station and Los Angeles. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 2 days 18h.
The distance between Washington and Santa Barbara is 2394 miles. The road distance is 2703.6 miles.
The best way to get from Washington to Santa Barbara without a car is to bus which takes 2 days 16h and costs $500 - $850.
It takes approximately 9h 10m to get from Washington to Santa Barbara, including transfers.
Washington to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Washington Union Station.
Washington to Santa Barbara train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Washington Union Station.
The best way to get from Washington to Santa Barbara is to fly which takes 9h 10m and costs $240 - $1,000. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $500 - $850 and takes 2 days 16h, you could also train, which costs $1,600 - $2,700 and takes 2 days 18h.
What companies run services between Washington, DC, USA and Santa Barbara, CA, USA?
American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines fly from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Washington Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stop via Pittsburgh Intermodal Station, St Louis Bus Station, and Los Angeles Union Station in around 2d 16h.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 44m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–700
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 3m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–800
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 54m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 15m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 18m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 20m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 27m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 38m
- When
- Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $190–800
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 20m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–600
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 45m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 44m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport via Phoenix
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 56m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–480
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–750
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–700
Flights from Baltimore-Washington International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via Salt Lake City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–800
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–650
Flights from Washington Dulles International Airport to Santa Barbara Municipal Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–900
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Washington Union Station to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 48m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $420–650
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Chicago Union Station to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 43h 32m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $1,200–1,900
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 43m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $55–90
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 43m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $55–90
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $16–26
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 43m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $55–90
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $16–26
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 43m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $55–90
- Website
- Amtrak
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
- $2–3
- Website
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- standard fare after 9:30 p.m
- $2–3
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
- $2–3
- Website
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- standard fare after 9:30 p.m
- $2–3
- Phone
- 1-866-743-3682
- Website
- Maryland Transit
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $2–9
- Website
- Maryland Transit
- Standard Fare
- $2–9
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $2–9
- Website
- Maryland Transit
- Standard Fare
- $2–9
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak Acela
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $6–550
- Schedules at
- Amtrak Acela
- Website
- Amtrak
- Business Class
- $6–440
- First Class
- $100–550
Train from Washington Union Station to BWI Thurgood Marshall
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $6–550
- Schedules at
- Amtrak Acela
- Website
- Amtrak
- Business Class
- $6–440
- First Class
- $100–550
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Washington Union Station to Pittsburgh Intermodal Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 45m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $40–65
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Pittsburgh Intermodal Station to St Louis Bus Station
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 10m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $110–170
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from St Louis Bus Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 40h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $350–550
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Washington Union Station to Pittsburgh Intermodal Station
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–55
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Barbara Bus Stop
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $16–24
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
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
Booking & Getting There
Washington to Santa Barbara bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Pittsburgh Intermodal Station.
Santa Barbara is 3h behind Washington. It is currently 4:17 AM in Washington and 1:17 AM in Santa Barbara.
Washington to Santa Barbara train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Chicago Union Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Washington to Santa Barbara is 2704 miles. It takes approximately 44h 13m to drive from Washington to Santa Barbara.
Book your Washington to Santa Barbara train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Washington to Santa Barbara bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
There are 333+ hotels available in Santa Barbara.














