How much is the bus ticket from Oakland to Chicago?

The cheapest bus tickets from Oakland to Chicago start from $171. The average price for this route is around $233. Busbud recommends that you book your tickets in advance for a better chance to get the lowest possible price.

How long is the bus ride from Oakland to Chicago?

The average bus trip duration from Oakland to Chicago is 2d 15h, covering a distance of 1844 miles (2973 km). The quickest bus can get you there in 2d and is operated by Greyhound .

Which bus companies service the Oakland to Chicago route?

Several major bus companies operate on this route with 20 buses available per day, including services from Greyhound , Amtrak , FlixBus .

What is the earliest and latest departure time for the bus from Oakland to Chicago?

The earliest bus departs from Oakland to Chicago at 7:00am. And the latest bus departs at 11:50pm.

What are the CO₂ emissions for the bus trip from Oakland to Chicago?

A bus trip from Oakland to Chicago generates an estimated 74 kg of CO₂, making it a highly eco-friendly travel option and recommended mode of travel by Busbud.

What is the best bus company from Oakland to Chicago?

According to Busbud customers, the highest-rated bus company on this route is Amtrak , with an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 5597 reviews.

Which bus company has the best Wi-Fi from Oakland to Chicago?

Based on reviews on Busbud, the bus company Amtrak has the best Wi-Fi rating with a score of 3.6.

Which bus company has the most timely service from Oakland to Chicago?

According to Busbud traveller reviews, the most timely bus company on this route is FlixBus , with a punctuality rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.

Which bus company has the cleanest buses from Oakland to Chicago?

According to Busbud traveller reviews, the bus company with the cleanest buses on this route is Amtrak , with a cleanliness rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Bus Oakland to Chicago from $217 | Refundable Tickets

Next departures

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on November 30
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	10:00pm	West Oakland BART	2d 17h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 2h	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	7:50am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	10:00pm	West Oakland BART	2d 18h	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 1
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 1h	5:15pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	9:05am	UC Berkeley (Crescent Lawn)	2d 17h	4:10am	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
FlixBus + Greyhound Lines, Inc.	9:05am	UC Berkeley (Crescent Lawn)	2d 20h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 2
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 2h	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 3
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 4
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 2h	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 5
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 6
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d 2h	6:35pm	Chicago 95Th & Dan Ryan	No tags

Next departures for Oakland to Chicago on December 7
Operated by	Departure time	Departure location	Trip duration	Arrival time	Arrival location	Recommended
	2:05pm	West Oakland BART	2d	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	CheapestFastest
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags
	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	2d 15h	4:20pm	Downtown Greyhound Station	No tags
Greyhound Lines, Inc. + FlixBus	11:20pm	West Oakland BART	3d 6h	8:00am	537-517 W. Jackson Blvd	No tags
	4:45am	Jack London Square	3d 6h	1:44pm	Chicago (Union Station), IL	No tags

Last refresh of the prices: Today at 2:11 PM PST.

Compare 2 ways to go from Oakland to Chicago

We recommend taking the train

Among the sustainable travel choices, the train stands out as the good way to reach Chicago. The journey takes about 2 days, 5 hours 27 minutes and with fares starting at just $125, it presents an excellent value for a comfortable ride.

7train per day

2d 5hAverage Duration

1843 milesDistance

270kgCO₂ emissions

	Average Price	Average Duration	CO₂ emissions	Actions
Bus	Average Price$171 - $594	Average Duration2d 15h	CO₂ emissions 74kg CO₂e
Train	Average Price$125 - $1,347	Average Duration2d 5h	CO₂ emissions 270kg CO₂e

Where are the popular stops in Oakland and Chicago?

Stops in Oakland

A
West Oakland BART Station
1401-1421 7th St, Oakland, CA 94607, USA
B
Emeryville Station
5885 Horton St, Emeryville, CA 94608, USA
Visit page
C
Oakland Bus Station
2103 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94612
D
Greyhound Station
2103 San Pablo Ave, Oakland, CA 94612, USA

Stops in Chicago

A
Downtown Greyhound Station
630 W Harrison St, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
Visit page
B
Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Visit page
C
Polk St & Canal St
500-536 W Polk St, Chicago IL 60607, USA
D
Tornado Bus S Kedzie Ave
2807 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60623, USA
E
Cumberland CTA
5800 N Cumberland Ave, Chicago, IL 60631, USA
F
Turimex California Ave
2139 S California Ave, Chicago, IL 60608, USA

Compare bus companies

Greyhound

3.5/587,408 reviews

Staff3.6

Timeliness2.9

Cleanliness3.3

Wifi2.4

Greyhound Lines offers the most comprehensive intercity bus services in the United States. They operate a modern, environmentally friendly fleet that serves more than 2400 destinations and carries nearly 16 million passengers annually. When traveling with them, you can expect free WiFi, onboard entertainment, bathrooms, power outlets and decent legroom. One of the great perks of Greyhound is that they connect big cities and smaller towns in the US, where you usually can't get to by train or plane. If you're looking for safe and affordable transportation, Greyhound is a great choice.

Amtrak

4/55,615 reviews

Staff4.7

Timeliness3.8

Cleanliness4.6

Wifi3.6

Based on 5615 reviews, the company was rated 4.1 stars on Busbud. Travelers were especially satisfied with the seats and the ticket access but often complained with the wifi. Amtrak ticket prices on this trip start at $239

Amtrak Oakland Chicago recent customer reviews

Wish I could go first class I know they had a ball super comfortable and an overall decent ride definitely bringing the kids next time

Yesenia C.

April 1, 2024

FlixBus

3.5/511,475 reviews

Staff4.2

Timeliness3.9

Cleanliness4.1

Wifi2.7

Flixbus is a European bus operator that offers intercity and bus travel in over 38 countries. Known for their easy-to-spot lime green buses and for offering affordable transportation between cities in Europe and the Americas, Flixbus is a good option for those looking for an affordable, reliable bus company. In their buses, you'll find free WiFi, bathrooms, and power outlets. You can also pay extra to choose your seat and get extra legroom, or even buy a snack or drink onboard directly from the driver. You can reschedule your ticket for a small fee, which varies from $1 to $5, depending on how close you are to the departure date.

US bus companies: FlixBus, BlaBlaCar Bus, ALSA, Greyhound, Intercape, Trenitalia, Sindbad

Frequently asked questions about traveling from Oakland to Chicago by bus

Please note that schedules, routes, or operator details shown here may be updated or vary at the time of your trip.

How much is the bus ticket from Oakland to Chicago?
The cheapest bus tickets from Oakland to Chicago start from $171. The average price for this route is around $233. Busbud recommends that you book your tickets in advance for a better chance to get the lowest possible price.
How long is the bus ride from Oakland to Chicago?
The average bus trip duration from Oakland to Chicago is 2d 15h, covering a distance of 1844 miles (2973 km). The quickest bus can get you there in 2d and is operated by Greyhound.
Which bus companies service the Oakland to Chicago route?
Several major bus companies operate on this route with 20 buses available per day, including services from Greyhound, Amtrak, FlixBus.
What is the earliest and latest departure time for the bus from Oakland to Chicago?
The earliest bus departs from Oakland to Chicago at 7:00am. And the latest bus departs at 11:50pm.
What are the CO₂ emissions for the bus trip from Oakland to Chicago?
A bus trip from Oakland to Chicago generates an estimated 74 kg of CO₂, making it a highly eco-friendly travel option and recommended mode of travel by Busbud.
What is the best bus company from Oakland to Chicago?
According to Busbud customers, the highest-rated bus company on this route is Amtrak, with an average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 5597 reviews.
Which bus company has the best Wi-Fi from Oakland to Chicago?
Based on reviews on Busbud, the bus company Amtrak has the best Wi-Fi rating with a score of 3.6.
Which bus company has the most timely service from Oakland to Chicago?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the most timely bus company on this route is FlixBus, with a punctuality rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars.
Which bus company has the cleanest buses from Oakland to Chicago?
According to Busbud traveller reviews, the bus company with the cleanest buses on this route is Amtrak, with a cleanliness rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Find cheapest prices for buses

Price is for a one-way ticket for one passenger and based on past searches.

Best price found

11/27

$219

11/28

$278

Today

$301

11/30

$364

12/01

$250

12/02

$232

12/03

$217

12/04

$220

The cheapest trip from Oakland to Chicago was searched and found on Dec 3, 2025 with a price of $217

To save money and be sure you have the best seat, it's a good idea to buy your bus tickets from Oakland to Chicago, as early as possible.

You can expect to pay from $217 to $2,615 for a bus ticket from Oakland to Chicago based on the last 2 days. You can expect to find the cheapest price for the trip at $217 which is on 2025-12-03.

Usually Amtrak will charge you higher prices for tickets closer to the departure date. To find the best prices, you should be flexible on your date of travel.