San Francisco to San Diego by train
San Diego lies 737 km (458 mi) south-east of San Francisco, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there.
By rail the journey is about 9 h 59 min at the speeds typical of United States rail, over roughly 900 km (559 mi) of track; the operator’s timetable is the number that counts.
| San Francisco | San Diego | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | United States |
| Population | 827,526 | 1.4 million |
| Elevation | 28 m (92 ft) | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-7 (America/Los_Angeles) | UTC-7 (America/Los_Angeles) |
| Stations on record | San Francisco Transbay Terminal, Third and Townsend Depot | Santa Fe Depot, Old Town Transit Center, Sorrento Valley station |
| Postal codes | 94102–94188 | 92101–92199 |
Where to book trains from San Francisco to San Diego
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Staying in San Diego
Our booking partner lists 1,392+ places to stay in San Diego (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 706 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (469), and 9 are five-star. Across 294 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.2 out of 10. Guests have left 286,439 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in San Diego
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is San Diego from San Francisco?
737 km (458 mi) in a straight line, south-east of San Francisco; by road roughly 900 km (559 mi).
How long does it take to get from San Francisco to San Diego by train?
About 9 h 59 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between San Francisco and San Diego?
No, both are on America/Los_Angeles at the moment.
Where can I stay in San Diego?
Our booking partner lists 1,392+ places to stay in San Diego, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.