What is the cheapest way to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles?

The bus is usually the cheapest ticket ($20–$50) but takes 8–9 hours. A carpool ($40–$55 per seat) is close on price and far faster at about 6 hours door-to-door, and drops you closer to where you're actually going. Flying is fastest in the air but $60–$150 plus airport time and bag fees. Driving solo costs $50–$70 in gas alone before wear and parking.

Is it cheaper to fly or drive from SF to LA?

Driving solo (~$50–$70 gas) is often cheaper than a flight ($60–$150 all-in with bags and airport transport) if you're going alone, and much cheaper split across a carpool. Flying only wins on cost when you catch a cheap fare and value the shorter in-air time.

How long does it take to get from San Francisco to Los Angeles?

Driving or carpooling is about 6 hours (roughly 380 miles via I-5). Flying is ~1.5 hours in the air but 4–5 hours door-to-door once you add airport time. The bus is 8–9 hours; Amtrak has no fast direct route and takes 11+ hours.

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The cheapest way to get from Los Angeles to San Diego (2026)

Updated August 2026 · ~120 miles · about 2 to 2.5 hours by road

LA to San Diego is short enough that flying makes no sense and long enough that the options genuinely differ. It's about 120 miles down the I-5, and unlike most California corridors this one has a good train. Here's what each option really costs, all-in.

Quick comparison

Option	All-in cost	Door-to-door time	Best for
Carpool (Seat Sherpa)	$15–$28 / seat	~2–2.5 hrs	Cheapest door-to-door, dropped where you need
Bus (FlixBus / Greyhound)	$10–$30	2.5–4 hrs	Lowest ticket if the schedule fits
Metrolink + Coaster	$15–$25	3.5–4.5 hrs	Budget rail, if you can handle a transfer
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner	$30–$50	~2 hr 45	The nicest ride on this corridor
Drive solo	~$19 gas + parking	~2–2.5 hrs	Flexibility — you cover the whole tank
Fly	$60–$150 + bags	3.5–4.5 hrs	Almost never worth it here

Third-party fares change constantly — these are ranges checked August 2026, and we link to each operator rather than quote a number we haven't verified. Seat Sherpa prices are live seat prices from our own marketplace.

The train is genuinely good on this route

This is the rare California corridor where rail competes. The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner runs LA Union Station to San Diego in about 2 hours 45 minutes along the coast, typically $30–$50 one way. If you're going downtown-to-downtown and you like the view, it's a genuinely pleasant option. The catch is the same as always: you still need to get to Union Station and out of Santa Fe Depot on the other end.

The cheapest rail: Metrolink to Coaster

Budget travellers stitch together Metrolink to Oceanside and then the Coaster into San Diego, which usually comes in under the Surfliner. It also takes noticeably longer and involves a transfer — worth it if the saving matters more than the hour.

The bus: lowest ticket, least predictable

FlixBus and Greyhound run LA–San Diego cheaply, often $10–$30 booked ahead. The published times look competitive, but I-5 traffic through Orange County means the real trip can stretch well past three hours. Cheapest ticket on the corridor; least reliable arrival.

Flying: skip it

LAX to SAN is about 30 minutes in the air and completely undone by everything around it — getting to LAX, security, and the ride from San Diego airport. By the time you're done you've spent more money than any other option and roughly the same time as the train. There is essentially no scenario where flying LA to San Diego is the right answer.

Driving solo: fine, if the car is already going

It's ~120 miles, about two hours without traffic and rather more with it. Fuel is roughly $19 each way before parking, which is the real expense in San Diego. Perfectly reasonable — you're just paying 100% of a cost that could be split three ways.

🚗 The sweet spot: carpool

This is the corridor where carpooling wins most clearly. Riding with someone already driving down costs $15–$28 a seat — under most bus tickets — takes the same two hours as driving yourself, and drops you at a real address instead of a station. On Seat Sherpa the price is capped at the IRS mileage rate, so it's a genuine cost split, not a fare.

See LA → San Diego rides

So which is cheapest?

For pure ticket price the bus is usually lowest, but it's the least predictable. A carpool is the best all-in value: bus-level pricing at car-level speed and door-to-door convenience. The Surfliner is the nicest experience if you're travelling downtown to downtown and don't mind paying a bit more. Flying is a trap on this route.

FAQ

What is the cheapest way to get from LA to San Diego?

The bus usually has the lowest ticket ($10–$30) but is the least predictable in traffic. A carpool ($15–$28 per seat) is close on price, faster, and drops you at an address rather than a terminal.

Is the train from LA to San Diego worth it?

Yes, more than on most California routes. The Amtrak Pacific Surfliner takes about 2 hours 45 minutes along the coast for roughly $30–$50 — comfortable and scenic, though you still need transport at both ends.

Should I fly from LA to San Diego?

Almost never. The flight is about 30 minutes but door-to-door runs 3.5–4.5 hours once you add airports, and it costs more than every other option.

How long does it take to drive from LA to San Diego?

About 2 to 2.5 hours for roughly 120 miles on the I-5, though traffic through Orange County can add substantially at peak times.

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