How Long from San Francisco to Los Angeles?
Compare all ways to travel: fly (1 hours 25 minutes), drive (5 hours 30 minutes), bus (7 hours), train (9 hours 30 minutes)
Time Comparison
Same route as LA to SF in reverse. The PCH is even better heading south — ocean is on your side of the road.
Flight
SFO → LAX
1h 25m
LAX → SFO
1h 20m
Distance
347 mi
Time Zone Diff
0h
Southbound is slightly longer. One of the world's busiest air corridors.
Arrival Time Planner
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Drive
I-5 (The Grapevine)
5h 30mFastest. Boring Central Valley farmland but gets you there.
US-101 Coastal
6hSanta Barbara wine country, charming coastal towns.
Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1)
9hBig Sur, Hearst Castle, elephant seals. America's most scenic drive.
Fuel Cost Estimator
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Train
Duration
9h 30m
Frequency
Once daily
Price Range
$40–$150
Amtrak Coast Starlight
9.5 hours hugging the Pacific coast. Observation car with panoramic windows.
Bus
Duration
7h
Frequency
Hourly
Price Range
$20–$60
FlixBus / Greyhound
7 hours via I-5. Frequent and cheap.
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 24 songs
- 🚗 Drive: 7 podcast episodes · 6 audiobook chapters
- 🚂 Train: Reading 19 chapters of a novel · 23 email replies