The cheapest and fastest trains from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Cheapest price
$32
Average price
$32
Fastest journey
2 h 1 m
Average duration
2 h 1 m
Trains per day
5
Distance
132 km
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
The average ticket from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA will cost around $32 if you buy it on the day, but the cheapest tickets can be found for only $32.
Of the 5 trains that leave San Diego, CA for Santa Ana, CA on Tue, May 26, 5 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
On Tue, May 26 the direct trains cover the 132 km distance in an average of 2 h 1 m but if you time it right, some trains will get you there in just 2 h 1 m .
On Tue, May 26 the slowest trains will take 2 h 1 m and usually involve a change or two along the way, but you might be able to save a few pennies if you’re on a budget.
8:01 PM2h01San Diego, CA10:02 PMSanta Ana, CA$321One-way0 transfers
3:01 AM2h01San Diego, CA5:02 AMSanta Ana, CA$321One-way0 transfers
5:01 PM2h01San Diego, CA7:02 PMSanta Ana, CA$321One-way0 transfers
7:01 PM2h01San Diego, CA9:02 PMSanta Ana, CA$331One-way0 transfers
2:01 AM2h01San Diego, CA4:02 AMSanta Ana, CA$331One-way0 transfers
8:01 PM2h01San Diego, CA10:02 PMSanta Ana, CA$321One-way0 transfers
3:01 AM2h01San Diego, CA5:02 AMSanta Ana, CA$321One-way0 transfers
2:01 AM2h01San Diego, CA4:02 AMSanta Ana, CA$331One-way0 transfers
7:01 PM2h01San Diego, CA9:02 PMSanta Ana, CA$331One-way0 transfers
5:01 PM2h01San Diego, CA7:02 PMSanta Ana, CA$321One-way0 transfers
Travel Information
Compare train and bus for San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Omio recommends booking the train as it is the most popular option from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from $17. For those with little time consider booking a train which can get you there in 1h 55m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.0 - 0.1kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of $17, and a train costs an average of $32.
Distance: 82 miles (132 km)
Compare train with
Most popular Train | Bus | Driving |
|---|---|---|
$33 Average price | $27 Average price Cheapest | $19 Average price (fuel + tolls) |
2h 25m Average total duration Fastest 1h 55m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 2h 47m Average total duration 2h 17m Onboard + 30m Additional time* | 1h 35m Average total duration (door-to-door) |
0.0 - 0.1kg CO2 emissions Lowest | 0.1 - 0.3kg CO2 emissions | - CO2 emissions |
![]() Most popular train company | ![]() Most popular bus company | Your own car or car rental |
Direct Options | Direct Options | Direct Options |
Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.
This is compared to other travel options from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA:
A bus is $5 (€4) less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA costing on average $33 (€26).
Other travel options to Santa Ana, CA take longer:
Bus takes on average 2h 17m.
Tickets start at around $33 (€26) compared to roughly $19 (€15) in fuel and tolls — a saving of about $-13.62 (€-10.99). The journey takes 1h 55m versus 1h 35m by car, so you'll arrive a bit later, but you can work, read, or sleep along the way rather than spending the time behind the wheel. You'll also save the hassle of parking at the other end.
Driving is worth it if you're on a tight schedule, travelling as a group, or want to stop somewhere en route.
Live departures
San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA train times
The table below shows live departures for San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA trains for today, Monday, May 25. You can also manually refresh the results below to see updated train journeys.
| Provider | Departs | Duration | Arrives | Transfers | Tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
761 Pacific Surfliner | 4:01 AM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 1h58 | 5:59 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
761 Pacific Surfliner | 4:10 AM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h49 | 5:59 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
765 Pacific Surfliner | 6:01 AM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 8:02 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
765 Pacific Surfliner | 6:10 AM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 8:02 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
567 Pacific Surfliner | 7:01 AM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 9:02 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
567 Pacific Surfliner | 7:10 AM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 9:02 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
769 Pacific Surfliner | 8:01 AM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 10:02 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
769 Pacific Surfliner | 8:10 AM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 10:02 AM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
573 Pacific Surfliner | 10:01 AM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 12:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
573 Pacific Surfliner | 10:10 AM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 12:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
777 Pacific Surfliner | 12:01 PM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 2:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
777 Pacific Surfliner | 12:10 PM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 2:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
579 Pacific Surfliner | 1:01 PM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 3:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
579 Pacific Surfliner | 1:10 PM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 3:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
581 Pacific Surfliner | 2:01 PM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 4:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
581 Pacific Surfliner | 2:10 PM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 4:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
587 Pacific Surfliner | 5:01 PM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h03 | 7:04 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
587 Pacific Surfliner | 5:10 PM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h54 | 7:04 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
591 Pacific Surfliner | 7:01 PM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 9:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Tuesday, May 26 | |||||
![]() | 2:01 AM San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 4:02 AM Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
591 Pacific Surfliner | 7:10 PM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 9:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
593 Pacific Surfliner | 8:01 PM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 10:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Tuesday, May 26 | |||||
![]() | 3:01 AM San Diego, CA | 2h01 | 5:02 AM Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
| Monday, May 25 | |||||
593 Pacific Surfliner | 8:10 PM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h52 | 10:02 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
595 Pacific Surfliner | 9:01 PM Santa Fe Depot, San Diego, CA | 1h58 | 10:59 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
595 Pacific Surfliner | 9:10 PM Old Town Station, San Diego, CA | 1h49 | 10:59 PM Santa Ana Station, Santa Ana, CA | 0 transfersDirect | |
This is the last train of the day. | |||||
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Compare prices and tickets San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA by train or bus
Compare train and bus prices over the next three weeks. See the best deals at a glance, find the lowest fares, and choose the option that fits your budget.
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Journey information
Overview: Train from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Trains from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA run on average 21 times per day, taking around 1h 55m. Cheap train tickets for this journey start at $32 (€26) but you can travel from only $17 (€13) by bus.
There are 20 trains per day. The earliest train runs at 03:50, the last at 23:12. The fastest train covers the 82 miles (132 km) distance in 1h 58m.
Distance 82 miles (132 km) |
Average train duration 1h 55m |
Cheapest ticket price $32 (€26) |
Trains per day 21 |
Direct trains 20 |
Fastest train 1h 58m |
First train 3:50 AM |
Last train 11:12 PM |
Cheapest Month May |
Cheapest Day Sun |
High Season Jul - Sep |
Low Season Jan - Mar |
Busiest Day Sun |
Least Busy Day Mon |
Best time to book 1 day |
Train companies: Amtrak from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA trainsAmtrak trains will get you between San Diego, CA and Santa Ana, CA from $17 (€13). With over 1000 travel companies on Omio, you can find the best train times and tickets for your trip.
Amtrak
FAQs: Trains from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA
Find answers to the most common questions about traveling from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA by train. From journey times and ticket prices to direct connections, first and last departures, and even whether the route is scenic, our FAQs cover everything you need to plan your trip. Whether you’re looking for the fastest train, the cheapest option, or tips for making the most of your visit at Santa Ana, CA, this guide helps you travel smarter and with confidence.

popular train stations
Popular train stations from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA
- 5:00 AM - 10:00 PM Monday - Sunday
- Free
- Parking is available nearby with various public and private options.
- The Fish Market
- Karl Strauss Brewing Company
- Outside the main entrance.
- Ramps.
- $1.25
- The Westin San Diego
- The Guild Hotel, San Diego, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
- Embassy Suites by Hilton San Diego Bay Downtown
- Located in the main hall
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- Located in the main hall
- Free
- Hall 1: main entrance, platforms for Amtrak and Coaster trains
- Hall 2: Trolley connections
- San Diego Trolley: Blue Line, Green Line
- Bus: Several lines available
- Amtrak: Pacific Surfliner
- 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM Monday - Sunday
- Free
- Parking is available with several spaces for commuters and visitors.
- Casa Guadalajara
- Old Town Mexican Cafe
- Outside the main entrance.
- Elevators, ramps.
- $0.25
- Old Town Inn
- Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott San Diego Old Town
- Best Western Plus Hacienda Hotel Old Town
- Located in the main hall
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- Located in the main hall
- Free
- Hall 1: main entrance, platforms for Amtrak and Coaster trains
- Hall 2: Trolley connections
- Trolley: Green Line
- Bus: Several lines available including 8, 9, 10, 28, 30, 35, 44, 88, 105, 150, 923, 928
- 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM Monday - Sunday
- Parking is available with several spaces for both short-term and long-term parking.
- The Olde Ship British Pub & Restaurant
- Chapter One: the modern local
- Outside the main entrance.
- Ramps.
- $0.50
- DoubleTree by Hilton Santa Ana
- Courtyard by Marriott Santa Ana
- Holiday Inn Santa Ana-Orange County Airport
- Located in the main hall
- Located in the main hall
- Free
- Hall 1: main entrance, ticket office, and waiting area
- Hall 2: platforms for Amtrak and Metrolink services
- Bus: OCTA routes 53, 83, 206
- Train: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, Metrolink Orange County Line
Most popular train connections from San Diego, CA
More options for your journey from San Diego, CA to Santa Ana, CA
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