What is the distance between Santa Barbara and San Jose?

The distance separating Santa Barbara and San Jose is 236 miles (381 km).

What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Santa Barbara to San Jose?

If you're headed to San Jose from Santa Barbara, chances are that your bus will leave from Train Station and arrive at Diridon Station. These are the main departure and arrival locations on this route, but you can find others that could fit better into your travel plans.

What are the best sights and things to do in San Jose?

Once in San Jose, you can start exploring the city and discover its surroundings. The top sights and things to do are Cathedral Basilica of Saint Joseph, Japanese Friendship Garden, Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Cinnabar Hills Golf Club.

Bus Santa Barbara to San Jose from $36 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on September 19
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
1:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 25m	7:05pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest
7:35am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags
7:50am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on September 20
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
1:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 25m	7:05pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest
7:45am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:25pm	Diridon Station	No tags
8:00am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:25pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on September 21
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
11:45am	Santa Barbara Station	5h 15m	5:00pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest
1:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 25m	7:05pm	Diridon Station	No tags
7:45am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:25pm	Diridon Station	No tags
8:00am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:25pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on September 22
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
11:45am	Santa Barbara Station	5h 15m	5:00pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest
7:35am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags
7:50am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on September 23
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
11:45am	Santa Barbara Station	5h 15m	5:00pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest
7:35am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags
7:50am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on September 24
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
11:45am	Santa Barbara Station	5h 15m	5:00pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest
7:35am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags
7:50am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Next departures for Santa Barbara to San Jose on September 25
Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
1:40pm	Santa Barbara Station	5h 25m	7:05pm	Diridon Station	CheapestFastest
7:35am	Train Station	6h 40m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags
7:50am	UC Santa Barbara	6h 25m	2:15pm	Diridon Station	No tags

Compare 2 ways to go from Santa Barbara to San Jose.

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions
Bus	Average Price$43 - $183	Average Duration6h 25m	CO₂ emissions 10kg CO₂e5 out of 5 stars	CheapestFastestMost eco-friendly
Train	Average Price$57 - $131	Average Duration7h 25m	CO₂ emissions 35kg CO₂e1 out of 5 stars

Busbud recommends taking the bus from Santa Barbara to San Jose

Among the sustainable travel choices, the bus stands out as the good way to reach San Jose. The journey takes about 6 hours 25 minutes and with fares starting at just $43, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

3bus per day

6h 25mAverage Duration

$43Cheapest ticket

10kgCO₂ emissions

Bus Santa Barbara to San Jose, US: Trip Overview

Average ticket price$73

Average bus trip duration6h 25m

Number of daily buses3

Earliest bus departure7:35am

Distance236 miles (380 km)

Latest bus departure6:45pm

Compare bus companies

Amtrak

4/55,467 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

FlixBus

3.5/510,560 reviews

Staff4.1

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

Flixbus is a European bus operator that offers intercity and bus travel in over 38 countries. Known for their easy-to-spot lime green buses and for offering affordable transportation between cities in Europe and the Americas, Flixbus is a good option for those looking for an affordable, reliable bus company. In their buses, you'll find free WiFi, bathrooms, and power outlets. You can also pay extra to choose your seat and get extra legroom, or even buy a snack or drink onboard directly from the driver. You can reschedule your ticket for a small fee, which varies from $1 to $5, depending on how close you are to the departure date.

FlixBus Santa Barbara San Jose recent customer reviews

it was awful your bus was 3 hours late

Sophie N.

November 3, 2023

US bus companies: FlixBus, Greyhound, Tornado Bus, Los Limousines, Tufesa, Valley Transit, Senda Diamante

Santa Barbara to San Jose Bus

With Busbud, comparing and booking tickets for a bus from Santa Barbara to San Jose is a breeze. Browse through an extensive selection of bus fares and bus schedules to find the best deals.

We make sure you can find a bus service from Santa Barbara to San Jose from the most reliable bus companies operating this trip.

From cheap bus tickets to more luxurious buses traveling from Santa Barbara to San Jose, we offer a wide range of bus services to best suit your needs depending on how much your budget is.

Where are the popular stops in Santa Barbara and San Jose?

Stops in Santa Barbara

A - Train Station

Stops in San Jose

A - Diridon Station

B - Santiago Express San Jose

C - 1118 E William St

D - San Jose Bus Stop

E - Tamien Station

F - Diridon Station

Frequently asked questions for your trip Santa Barbara - San Jose, US

What is the distance between Santa Barbara and San Jose?
What are the departure and arrival stations when taking the bus from Santa Barbara to San Jose?
What are the best sights and things to do in San Jose?

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

09/16

$59

09/17

$69

Today

$45

09/19

$57

09/20

$44

09/21

$46

09/22

$41

09/23

$54

The cheapest trip from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US was searched and found on Sep 22, 2025 with a price of $41

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $41 to $69 for a bus ticket from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $41 which is on 2025-09-22.

Usually Amtrak will charge you higher prices for tickets closer to the departure date. To find the best prices, you should be flexible on your date of travel.

About Bus Travel

Bus Travel Tips

Meet and talk to locals at the bus stations while traveling from Santa Barbara to San Jose.There is no better way to get inside travel information while exploring a new city than to go straight to its people.

Start sightseeing the minute your bus leaves the station. If you're on the night bus from Santa Barbara to San Jose, get comfy and count the stars.

Taking the bus creates the smallest carbon footprint compared to other modes of transport. Not to mention that buses will allow you to discover scenic gems from Santa Barbara to San Jose that are otherwise impossible to come by with a plane.

Make a music playlist for your bus ride from Santa Barbara to San Jose, and enjoy the scenery to tunes from your own personal soundtrack.

Did you know?

The Superbus, created by a Dutch engineer is the world's fastest bus with 250 km/h. Too bad it's only a prototype for now.

It takes 27 hours to go by bus from Lima to Cusco, one of the craziest bus trips on the world. This route is used daily by locals and backpackers.

Did you know some bus companies in Germany offer to their passenger low-costs snacks and regional beer based on their destination? Prosit!

What's the cheapest way to go from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US?

The bus is the cheapest travel choice for this destination

Vehicle Type	Travel Time	Avg Price	Daily Departures
Vehicle TypeBus	Travel Time6h 25m	Avg Price$73	Daily Departures3
Vehicle TypeTrain	Travel Time7h 25m	Avg Price$73	Daily Departures1

Will you be returning to Santa Barbara by bus?

Bus from San Jose, US to Santa Barbara

You can also go to San Jose, US by train

Train from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US

Top traveled bus routes

Why choose Busbud?

The Best Way To Book Bus and Train Tickets

Busbud.com makes it easy for you to find, compare and book city-to-city bus tickets, all over the world. We save you the extra trip to the bus station. Use Busbud to book your trip online, in your own language and currency, wherever you are. With Busbud, you can buy tickets with confidence. We ensure that you make the most out of your bus trip by partnering up with reliable bus companies from all around the world such as Greyhound, Eurolines, ALSA, OUIBUS (BlaBlaBus), National Express and many others.

Bus Tickets from Santa Barbara to San Jose, US