Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Buellton, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for SFO–SBA. At 294 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 43m

Distance

294 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

119 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 23m

30m in the air

Air Distance

251 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBA → Buellton, CA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Buellton, CA SBA — Santa Barbara Municipal Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFO and SBA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 20m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 13m

7h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$50

CO2

15 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 433m

Arrival 10m

Buellton Amtrak Bus Stop → Buellton, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $50) $50

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From San Francisco 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Buellton Amtrak Bus Stop 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 42m

6h 20m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2005

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 380m

Arrival 10m

Santa Barbara Bus Stop (SBR6) → Buellton, CA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SBR6 — Santa Barbara Bus Stop 32 mi, ~47m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 43m	3h 23m	8h 13m	7h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$50	$30
Carbon footprint	119 kg CO₂	64 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

294 mi 5h 42m

via US 101, US 101; CA 156

Alternative (+64 min)

350 mi 6h 46m

via I 5, US 101, I 580

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from San Francisco, CA to Buellton, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.