Skip to Content
Transport

SF to LA by Public Transport: 30 Hours, 14 Transfers, $42.25

3:54 PM PDT on May 9, 2011

Matt Nelson of California Streets Blog realized that because of two new bus routes introduced this year in Salinas, it's now possibly to traverse the coastal route between Los Angeles and San Francisco entirely by using public transport. Is there a brave soul out there ready to stop being theoretical and actually make the journey? Before you say yes, take a look at the itinerary, which involves 30 hours of travel, 14 transfers, and costs $42.25:

Monday – Depart San Francisco Embarcadero Station

5:48 a.m. – Take inbound N-Judah light rail to 4th and King. Fare: $2.Operator: Muni Metro. Schedule here.

5:57 a.m. – Arrive at 4th and King Station. Layover: 14 minutes.

6:11 a.m. – Take southbound Caltrain Limited 206 to San Jose. Fare: $8.50Operator: Caltrain. Schedule here.

7:24 a.m. – Arrive at San Jose Diridon Station. Layover: 31 minutes.

7:55 a.m. – Take 55 Monterey Express bus to Prunedale. Pay the operator $10 for this fare plus a Day Pass.Operator: MST. Schedule here.

9:22 a.m. - Arrive Prunedale Park & Ride. Layover: 40 minutes.

10:02 a.m. - Take 29 Salinas bus to Salinas. Fare: use Day Pass.Operator: MST. Schedule here.

10:35 a.m. - Arrive Salinas Transit Center. Layover: 10 minutes.

10:45 a.m. – Take 23 King City bus to King City. Fare: use Day Pass.Operator: MST. Schedule here.

12:18 p.m. - Arrive King City-Mee Memorial Hospital. Layover: 3 hours 57 minutes.

4:15 p.m. – Take 82 Fort Hunter Liggett Express. Fare: $2 with Day Pass. Inform the driver that you want to transfer to the 83.Operator: MST. Schedule here.

4:40 p.m. – Arrive outside of Fort Hunter Liggett gate. Layover: 35 minutes.

5:15 p.m. – Take 83 Paso Robles Express. Fare: $2 with Day Pass.Operator: MST. Schedule here.

6:12 p.m. – Arrive Paso Robles Transit Center. Layover: 8 minutes.

6:20 p.m. – Take 9 San Luis Obispo bus. Fare: $5 for Regional Day Pass.Operator: SLORTA. Schedule here.

7:27 p.m. – Arrive San Luis Obispo Transit Center. Layover: 1 hour 6 minutes.

8:33 p.m. – Take 10 Santa Maria bus. Fare: use Day Pass.Operator: SLORTA. Schedule here.

9:43 p.m. - Arrive Santa Maria Town Mall Transit Center. Layover: 8 hours 7 minutes. Find overnight accomodations in Santa Maria.

Tuesday – Depart Santa Maria Park & Ride at Hagerman Softball Complex

5:50 a.m. – Take Southbound Santa Barabara bus. Fare: $7.Operator: Clean Air Express. Schedule here.

7:09 a.m. – Arrive Anacapa at Anapamu in Santa Barbara. Layover: 9 minutes.

7:18 a.m. - Take Coastal Express bus. Fare: $3.Operator: VISTA. Schedule here.

8:00 a.m. – Arrive Pacific View Mall. Layover: 20 minutes.

8:20 a.m. – Take Highway 101 bus. Fare: $1.25.Operator: VISTA. Schedule here.

9:24 a.m. – Arrive Thousand Oaks Transit Center. Layover: 6 minutes.

9:30 a.m. - Take Metro Local 161 bus. Fare: $1.50.Operator: Metro. Schedule here.

10:45 a.m. – Arrive Warner Center. Layover: 14 minutes.

10:59 a.m. - Take Metro Orange Line bus. Fare: $1.50Operator: Metro. Schedule here.

11:42 a.m. – Arrive North Hollywood Station. Layover 7 minutes.

11:49 a.m. - Take Metro Red Line subway. Fare: $1.50Operator: Metro. Schedule here.

12:19 p.m. – Arrive Los Angeles Union Station.

Matt has actually done a similar journey in the past, and asks you to contact him if you are planning to try the run.

Photo Credit: SoCalMetro

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More Stories

Scoop: Former L.A. Sheriff’s Deputy Sent Dick Pics To ‘Vulnerable’ Women That He Met While On Duty

A criminal case for “misdemeanor sexual battery” was presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. However, “the case was declined due to insufficient evidence,” a spokesperson for D.A. Nathan Hochman tells L.A. TACO.

July 24, 2026

10 Rising L.A. Directors You Need to Follow

From local short film screenings to Sundance Film Festival, these are the city’s emerging directors keeping the industry alive.

July 24, 2026

Get These Smoked Guinness Chili Burgers For One Day Only In Boyle Heights

The chili is made with Guinness Extra Stout, fire-roasted chiles, chipotles en adobo, spices, dark chocolate, and a beef ball that is smoked over the chili, allowing its fat to drip into the pot, before the meat is folded back in.

July 24, 2026

The Country’s Most Famous Strip Club Hosted Its First Trans Night and We Were There

This wasn't a queer venue making room for trans performers—that already exists. This was one of the country's most recognizable strip clubs deciding that supporting trans dancers is just . . . normal.

July 24, 2026

The 21 Best Soft Serve Shops in Los Angeles, Ranked

Our guide has it all: one dollar cones, hidden gems worth the drive, spots doing something you've never seen before, and the classics that have been here longer than most of us.

Catch Chicano Arts Innovator Gronk In Conversation at Moveable Feast, August 27 In Pasadena

A true legend of L.A. art and innovation, Gronk is the East L.A.-raised, multi-hyphenate artist that formed one quarter of the main nucleus of ASCO, the 1970s and 80s avant garde artists collective famous for confronting and skewering the systems set against Eastside Angelenos and Chicanos.

July 23, 2026