Getting to Santa Barbara
If you are flying, you can reach UCSB by arriving at Santa Barbara's local airport (SBA) or by landing in Burbank (BUR) or Los Angeles (LAX).
- SBA: served by major US airlines and a short bus or rideshare ride from campus.
- LAX: You can reach LAX with the Santa Barbara Airbus.
- BUR: You can reach BUR with Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner route.
Getting to Santa Barbara from Irvine / Neutrino 2026
If you are attending Neutrino 2026 in Irvine, there are several ways to reach Santa Barbara.
- By train. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner connects Irvine to Santa Barbara serval times a day. The trip is four hours long and avoids traffic.
- By car. You can travel from Irvine to Santa Barbara in 2:30 to 4:00 hours depending on traffic.
Getting around Santa Barbara and UCSB
The UCSB campus is walkable and is connected by local buses that have regular service throughout the year. Isla Vista, the neighborhood next to the university, is conveniently located a few minutes walk from campus has restaurants, coffee shops, and markets. Larger shopping areas are a short bus ride from campus. Downtown Santa Barbara is a 15 minute drive or 30 minute express bus away from campus.
Transport tips:
- There are two train stations that may be convenient for you: the Santa Barbara station (downtown, more frequent service) and the Goleta station (closer to campus, fewer arrivals/departures).
- A car is not necessary to move around UCSB and Santa Barbara, unless you want to venture outside of the campus area or downtown. The main car rental location in Santa Barbara is at the airport, which is very close to campus.
- Sometimes you can rent a car one-way between LAX and Santa Barbara for pretty cheap (~$70).
- Local bus service: Santa Barbara MTD. You can find the bus fares and passes information here.
