Drive or Fly: Acton, CA to Bakersfield, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for BUR–BFL. At 103 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

103.7 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

42 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 50m

9m in the air

Air Distance

78 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Acton, CA → BUR 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFL → Bakersfield, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Acton, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

Bakersfield, CA BFL — Meadows Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR and BFL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 45m

2h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Acton, CA → La Crescenta Amtrak Bus Stop 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Bakersfield → Bakersfield, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From La Crescenta Amtrak Bus Stop 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Bakersfield 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 45m

1h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0810

Door-to-Door Timeline

Acton, CA → Los Angeles (Laurel Canyon/Rinaldi - San Fernando) (0RN) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 100m

Arrival 10m

Bakersfield Train Station (BKF6) → Bakersfield, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From 0RN — Los Angeles (Laurel Canyon/Rinaldi - San Fernando) 20 mi, ~30m drive

To BKF6 — Bakersfield Train Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 48m	2h 50m	3h 45m	2h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$18	$9
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Acton, CA to Bakersfield, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.