San Diego to Los Angeles: Train vs Bus vs Car

You have three real choices for the trip from San Diego to Los Angeles, and the best one depends on what you do after you arrive. This guide compares them on time, cost, comfort and arrival point.

Travel time from San Diego to Los Angeles: train vs bus vs car

San Diego is about 120 to 130 miles from Los Angeles, and driving is faster when the freeway is clear, at about two hours against 2 hours 55 minutes by train. At rush hour the car can take much longer. The two tourism boards round the distance differently: Visit California says about 130 miles, and the San Diego tourism authority says 120 miles. The Pacific Surfliner timetable effective May 4, 2026 lists 13 trains a day each way between Downtown San Diego and Los Angeles Union Station. Check the current timetable before you book, because rail schedules change.

The first train leaves Downtown San Diego at 4:01 AM and the last at 9:01 PM. Going the other way, the first train leaves Los Angeles at 6:10 AM and the last at 10:10 PM. A 7:01 AM departure from San Diego reaches Los Angeles at 9:57 AM.

Closures can change the picture. On November 7 and 8, 2026, the railway says no Pacific Surfliner trains run anywhere between San Diego and San Luis Obispo, and it plans no replacement buses. If you travel those days, drive or book a bus.

Greyhound and FlixBus publish the times, fares and stops for this route on their own sites, and their route pages did not show a fixed fare when we opened them. A bus fare is not published as one number, so check both operators for your day. Buses use the same freeway as cars. A jam that slows a car usually slows a bus too.

Read about car rental los angeles and the Metro before you decide how you will get around after you arrive.

Cost from San Diego to Los Angeles: train vs bus vs car

No official page we opened publishes a fare for the train, the bus or the car on this route, so the cheapest choice depends on your date and your group. The operators show fares only for a chosen day. Amtrak shows the Pacific Surfliner fare for your date in its booking tool, and Greyhound and FlixBus do the same on their sites. Compare the three prices for your own date before you decide. A train ticket costs more with every traveller, while a car costs fuel and parking once, so a group of two or more can find the car cheaper.

For the train, a Business Class upgrade adds about $10 to $35 each way, depending on distance. Coach seats are unreserved, so one ticket lets you ride any Pacific Surfliner train on your route. Business Class needs a reservation.

So which is cheaper, the train or the car? Neither always wins, because the train fare is shown only for your date and the car cost is fuel plus parking. Two or more people share one car, so the car can come out ahead. The tours in this guide are priced in euros per person, so they add to either choice.

For the car, count fuel and parking at the other end, and add the time you spend in traffic. Parking is not free at the big sights. Universal Studios Hollywood charges $40 for general parking before 5 PM and $10 after 5 PM on days without special events, according to its parking page. Ask your hotel what it charges before you book.

Pro Tip If two or more people travel together, price the car against two train tickets for your exact date. The answer flips with the number of people.

Where you arrive: Union Station vs a bus stop vs your hotel garage

The train drops you at Los Angeles Union Station, a rail hub in Downtown at 800 North Alameda Street. From there the Metro B Line reaches Hollywood/Highland in about 25 minutes, and trains run about every 10 minutes in the daytime, according to the B Line timetable. That makes the train a good fit if your plans are in Hollywood, Downtown or Universal City.

In San Diego, the main station is the Santa Fe Depot at 1050 Kettner Boulevard. Some trains also stop at Old Town San Diego.

The Surfliner also stops in Anaheim, about 40 minutes before Union Station. If Disneyland is your first stop, you can get off there. The Anaheim bus link to the park is free with an Amtrak ticket, according to Disneyland.

A bus arrives at the stop its operator uses, which may be near Union Station or somewhere else, so read the stop name on your ticket. A car arrives wherever you park. In Los Angeles that usually means a hotel garage or a paid lot.

Comfort and bags: train vs bus vs car

The train gives you the most room, and the car gives you the most freedom with luggage. Pacific Surfliner trains have reclining seats, tray tables, power outlets and free Wi-Fi, and the cafe car sells refreshments. Each rider can bring up to six items for free: two personal items and two carry-on bags, with carry-ons up to 28 by 22 by 11 inches and 50 pounds. The railway lists checked bags as suspended at the moment.

Bikes need a reservation, so book the space with your ticket. The trains have racks for seven standard bikes, and the reservation is free.

Greyhound says its buses offer free Wi-Fi and power outlets. A car has no luggage limit beyond your trunk, but you also take on the driving.

Key Takeaway The Pacific Surfliner runs 13 trains a day each way and takes about 2 hours 55 minutes, so a train ticket buys you a predictable ride without a drive on the freeway.

From LAX: FlyAway and train vs car

Coming from LAX, you can reach San Diego by taking the FlyAway bus to Union Station and switching to a Pacific Surfliner. The FlyAway costs $12.75 one way and takes contactless cards or its app, with no cash. Buses leave LAX Terminal 1 from 5:40 AM until 11:40 PM.

The Surfliner also serves Hollywood Burbank Airport on its way north, so flights into Burbank connect to the same line. Driving from the airport is the other choice, and it suits a group with a lot of bags.

Your first day in Los Angeles without a car

Plan day one around the Metro or a tour, because you will not have a car at Union Station. Do it on your own if you want one or two sights near a Metro stop, since a ride costs far less than a tour. A tour is worth it if you want Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the beaches in one day, with the driving and parking done for you.

For a long first day, the full-day LA city tour is from €82.48 per person. It is rated 4.8 from 1,435 reviews on GetYourGuide and is run by A Day in LA Tours. It lasts 7.5 to 9 hours. Before you book: the meeting point depends on the option you pick, and hotel pick-up is offered if you select it. The listing says a private option is available, gives no group size otherwise, and lists no one it is not suitable for. The price does not include lunch. It includes a live guide, air-conditioned transport, bottled water and six stops. The listing showed free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead on 22 October 2026, so read its own terms before you book.

With less time, the best-of-LA bus tour with free time is from €52.29 per person. It is rated 4.6 from 2,507 reviews and is run by Hollywood Bus Tours. It lasts 5.5 hours. The meeting point depends on the option you pick, and pick-up is offered. The listing says a private option is available and gives no group size otherwise. Tips, food and drinks are not included. The price covers the bus, a driver-guide and narration. The listing showed free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead on 22 October 2026. Eight group city tours of 4 to 9 hours were listed on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026, from €52.29 to €115 per person.

For a theme park day, Universal Studios Hollywood general admission is from €88.97 per person. It is rated 4.6 from 9,993 reviews, and the listing is sold by GetYourGuide Tours & Tickets GmbH. You enter at 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City. The listing gives no duration or group size. Food and drinks, transport and parking are not included. The price covers entry, including the Studio Tour. The listing showed free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead on 22 October 2026. Universal City station has a pedestrian bridge to the park, so the Metro gets you there without parking. The park publishes its own ticket rules and prices on its site, so check them before you buy.

Ratings are GetYourGuide traveller ratings, and the listings show who runs each tour. None of the three lists anyone as not suitable. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 22 October 2026.

The best way into a big city is the one that puts you near your first plan.

Which to choose: train vs bus vs car

Take the train if you want a calm ride and plan to use the Metro or a tour in Los Angeles. Drive if you want to stop along the coast, carry a lot of bags or travel on a day the train does not run. Take a bus if its fare and stop suit your date, after you check the operator's own pages.

The train is the wrong choice if you must be in San Diego before 4 AM or you need a car to reach spots the Metro does not serve. In that case drive or book a car for the trip.

Once you are settled in Los Angeles, fun Los Angeles day trips can fill a spare day with the beaches, mountains and theme parks around the city.