How Long from Los Angeles to San Francisco?
Compare all ways to travel: fly (1 hours 20 minutes), drive (5 hours 30 minutes), bus (7 hours), train (9 hours 30 minutes)
Time Comparison
California's great north-south corridor. Fly in 80 minutes, drive I-5 in 5.5 hours, or take the unforgettable PCH coastal route in 9.
Flight
LAX → SFO
1h 20m
SFO → LAX
1h 25m
Distance
347 mi
Time Zone Diff
0h
One of the busiest air corridors in the world. Flights every 15 minutes at peak.
Arrival Time Planner
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Drive
I-5 (The Grapevine)
5h 30mFastest but boring. Flat Central Valley farmland for 200 miles. Bring podcasts.
US-101 Coastal
6hThrough Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Big Sur. One of America's most beautiful drives.
Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1)
9hThe bucket-list drive. Cliffs, ocean, redwoods. 9 hours but worth every minute.
Fuel Cost Estimator
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Train
Duration
9h 30m
Frequency
Once daily
Price Range
$40–$150
Amtrak Coast Starlight
9.5 hours along the coast. Stunning ocean views from the observation car. One of America's most scenic train rides.
Bus
Duration
7h
Frequency
Hourly
Price Range
$20–$60
FlixBus / Greyhound
7 hours via I-5. Frequent service, WiFi included.
Should You Fly or Drive?
✈️ Fly if...
- • You're traveling solo (no car rental savings to split)
- • Time is more valuable than money
- • The drive is 6+ hours
- • You don't need a car at your destination
🚗 Drive if...
- • You have 2+ passengers (split gas costs)
- • You need a car at your destination
- • You have lots of luggage
- • The journey itself is part of the fun
That Travel Time Is Equivalent To...
- ✈️ Flight: Watching 1 movie · Listening to 23 songs
- 🚗 Drive: 7 podcast episodes · 6 audiobook chapters
- 🚂 Train: Reading 19 chapters of a novel · 23 email replies