Four Ways to Get from San Francisco to Los Angeles
San Francisco is about 400 miles from Los Angeles. There are four ways to get there:
Driving : You can take Highway 5 ( fast , takes about 6 hours, no scenery), or Highway 1 ( good scenery , 3 days and 2 nights is the best)
Plane : The flight time is 1 hour and 30 minutes, and the one-way trip costs 50-100 US dollars
Train : The journey is long , about 12 hours, but it is comfortable/interesting, and the ticket price starts at 60 US dollars
Bus : The journey takes about 9 hours, and the ticket price starts at 40 US dollars, and the riding experience is poor
Method 1: Self-driving
Self-driving offers the highest degree of freedom, with 3 routes to choose from:
Blue Route Highway 1/Hwy 101
Features: This route is not just a road , it is one of the most famous attractions in the United States
Time: Suitable for 3 days and 2 nights
Strategy: "Self-driving Guide for Highway 1 in the United States"
Green Route Highway 5/I-5
Features: The fastest , the road is very straight and easy to drive, very suitable for rushing
Time: About 6 hours by car, 383 miles/616 kilometers ( trucks full of onions/tomatoes are common on the road, and 12% of agricultural products in the United States are supplied here )
Brown Route Yosemite + Sequoia National Park
Features: If you are tired of Highway 1, you might as well visit the national park
Time: Suitable for 3 days and 2 nights
Strategy: " Yosemite National Park Guide " " Sequoia and Kings Canyon Guide "
Method 2: Flying
Flight time : about 1 hour and 30 minutes
Ticket price : There are many flights, one-way 50-100 US dollars, Delta , United Airlines , Southwest Airlines all have flights
San Francisco Airport : code SFO, the airport is about 25 minutes drive from the city center, how to get to the city center can be found here
Los Angeles Airport : code LAX, the airport is about 30 minutes drive from the city center, how to get to the city center can be found here
Method 3: Train - Coast Starlight
Although the speed is slow, it is the most comfortable and more interesting.
It is recommended to choose the Coast Starlight train that goes between Seattle and Los Angeles . The carriage environment is the best.
Travel time : 12 hours, departing at about 8.30am in the morning and arriving at 9.11pm in the evening.
Price : starting from US$60, the earlier you book, the cheaper it is. Booking
process on the official website : Arrive at the station 30 minutes in advance, there is no security check, and you will be given a seat number when queuing to get on the train ( you can request a seat near the sea/near the sightseeing car )
Facilities :
‣ Divided into 'Coach' and 'Roomette, Bedroom, Family Bedroom - Meals Included'
‣ Most people choose Coach, which has spacious seats ( at least much more comfortable than airplanes ), a dining car, and you can also bring your own food
‣ There is no WIFI on the train, so please prepare in advance
‣ Two pieces of luggage can be checked for free ( within 20kg ), and additional luggage is US$20 per piece.
Scenery :
‣ The sea view is only available when the train arrives near Santa Barbara ( from San Francisco, the sea view can only be seen after 4pm )
‣ Panoramic cabin Sightseer Lounge Car is open to all, seats are first come first served, and the most beautiful/popular view is at sunset. San Francisco
Station : There is no train station in downtown San Francisco . It is recommended to take a taxi to the train station in Emeryville ( 10 miles from downtown San Francisco ) or Jack London Square Station in Oakland ( 13 miles from downtown San Francisco, but the security nearby is not good )
Los Angeles Station : Union Station in the city center
Recommended video : How Bad is San Francisco to Los Angeles by Amtrak?
Method 4: Bus
This method is the least chosen because it is very tiring. It is better to buy a plane ticket...
Driving time : about 9 hours, for example, depart at 6am and arrive at 3.05pm, depending on which bus.
Ticket price : US$40+
Reservation : Flixbus , Megabus , Greyhound Bus
Recommended video : How Bad is the Greyhound Bus From SF to LA ~ End ~ Thank you for reading, and I wish you all a happy trip! *⸜( •ᴗ• )⸝* To support us in creating more guides , you can: When a friend is going on a trip, recommend American Travel Guide to him/her ~ You can also scan the appreciation code on WeChat and buy the author a cup of coffee~ Update log: 2025-4: Updated the video and digital data, and added details about taking the train 2023-6: Improved some details 2021-12: Updated the video and redid the map 2020-12: Checked the specific information. The epidemic has a certain impact, such as the Coast Starlight has reduced its frequency/MegaBus has cancelled the route. The video has been supplemented and the article structure has been adjusted 2019-10: Checked the specific information of each means of transportation, supplemented the luggage regulations and videos
