Two of the most popular stops on west-coast travel through the United States are San Francisco and Los Angeles. Until the proposed high-speed rail system linking these cities is built (don’t hold your breath), travelers have several options, all of which offer daily departures between the two cities. Below is a brief description of each.
You can use Passport Junkie’s search page to find the specific airlines, train lines, bus lines, and car hire agencies that offer services for travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
By Air (about 1 hour, $110 USD)
- Fares for this route tend to be stable – last minute fares are usually available for around $150 USD, and advance purchase fares typically cost around $60 USD.
- The typical aircraft flown on this route is a Boeing 737 (mid-size passenger jet) – smaller “regional jets” may be used, but no propeller planes are used on this route.
- San Francisco to Los Angeles flights may depart from any of 3 San Francisco area airports: SFO (San Francisco International), OAK (Oakland), and SJC (San Jose)
- San Francisco to Los Angeles flights may arrive at any of 5 Los Angeles area airports: LAX (Los Angeles International), LGB (Long Beach), BUR (Burbank-Bob Hope), ONT (Ontario), and SNA (Santa Ana/Orange County/John Wayne)
By Train (about 9 hours 10 minutes, $55 USD)
- The long duration for this route is due to the many stops made en route and the likelihood of delays, which are common
- San Francisco to Los Angeles train service departs from the Ferry Building in downtown San Francisco (though additional pickup locations are available)
- San Francisco to Los Angeles trains arrive in Los Angeles at Union Station (downtown)
- All of the “train” routings offered on this route require at least one travel segment by passenger bus – these segments can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 6 hours
- Although some trips are overnight, the trains and buses used do not have sleeper compartments, only regular seating
By Bus (about 6 hours 30 minutes, $60 USD)
- The fare for this trip can be as low as $25 USD when purchased in advance
- The vehicles used for this trip are typical, large passenger buses with economy seating
- San Francisco to Los Angeles bus service departs from downtown San Francisco (either the Transbay Terminal, Union Square, or Chinatown)
- San Francisco to Los Angeles buses usually arrive at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles, though some services offer a stop at the Santa Monica HI Youth Hostel
By Rental/Hired Car (at least 6 hours, $250 USD)
- This option tends to be the most expensive due to the “drop off fee” charged by car hire agencies for one-way rentals
- The fastest driving route to Los Angeles follows Interstate 5 in the middle of California (through farm country) – the same route buses take for this trip
- The most scenic driving route is along the famous Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) along the California coast – for this route, expect to spend an additional night along the way
By Car (Rideshare) (at least 6 hours, $25 USD)
- As an alternative to scheduled transportation, one can use websites like craigslist to find a rideshare – typically riders must split fuel costs for the journey.
- Exercise the same caution with ridesharing as you would with hitchiking – be sure you are comfortable with the situation before hopping in the car
