Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Toro Canyon, 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 332 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 38m

Distance

332.9 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

134 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$71

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 14m

34m in the air

Air Distance

281 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

72 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBA → Toro Canyon, CA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Toro Canyon, CA SBA — Santa Barbara Municipal Airport 16 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 24m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 6m

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) → Toro Canyon, CA 11m

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 7 mi, ~11m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	6h 38m	3h 14m	7h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$186	$30
Carbon footprint	134 kg CO₂	72 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: 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 26, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

332.9 mi 6h 37m

via US 101, US 101; CA 156, CA 154

Alternative (+65 min)

408.7 mi 7h 43m

via I 5, I 580, I 5 Truck

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