Bus to Tahoe From Bay Area [Route, Timings & Fare]

Buses from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe:

• BART to Richmond + Amtrak Thruway Bus (6-7 hours)
• Greyhound Bus (7 hours)
• TART Bus (7.5 hours)

Buses from Oakland to South Lake Tahoe:

• Amtrak Bus from Oakland Coliseum BART (6.5 hours direct)

Buses from San Jose to South Lake Tahoe:

• Amtrak Thruway Bus (7 hours)

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Getting to Lake Tahoe by Bus from the Bay Area

Bus Service	Route	Duration	Frequency	Fare	Distance
Greyhound	San Francisco to Truckee	5h 45m	Twice daily	$21 – $65	–
Greyhound	San Francisco to Reno	7h	–	$31 – $65	–
Tahoe Ski Trips	San Francisco to Heavenly Valley Ski Lodge (South Lake Tahoe)	4h	On demand	$89	–
South Tahoe Airporter	Reno-Tahoe International Airport to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (South Lake Tahoe)	1h 20m	5 times a day	$19 – $35	–

For those looking to get to South Lake Tahoe without driving, taking the bus from the San Francisco Bay Area is an affordable option. While it takes some extra travel time compared to flying or driving, the bus allows you to sit back, relax, and take in the scenery on the way to Tahoe.

Buses from San Francisco

BART + Amtrak Thruway Bus (6-7 hours)

One of the main bus routes starts with taking BART to the Richmond station. From there, you can connect to the Amtrak Thruway bus service direct to South Lake Tahoe. The total travel time is around 6-7 hours.

Greyhound Bus (7 hours)

Greyhound offers a direct bus from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe with a travel time of approximately 7 hours. Buses depart from the main Greyhound terminal.

TART Bus (7.5 hours)

The TART (Tahoe Area Rapid Transit) bus service runs from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe as well. This affordable option has a travel time of around 7.5 hours.

Buses from Oakland

Amtrak Bus from Oakland Coliseum BART (6.5 hours direct)

If starting in Oakland, Amtrak runs a direct Thruway bus from the Oakland Coliseum BART station to South Lake Tahoe. This is one of the quicker options at 6.5 hours of travel time.

Buses from San Jose

Amtrak Thruway Bus (7 hours)

For those coming from San Jose, Amtrak provides a direct Thruway bus service to South Lake Tahoe with an approximate 7-hour ride.