Drive or Fly: Alabaster, AL to Pell City, AL?

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 BHM–BHM. At 50 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

58m

Distance

50 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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

3h 18m

5m in the air

Air Distance

39 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabaster, AL → BHM 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHM → Pell City, AL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Alabaster, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Pell City, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and BHM. 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 21m

1h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabaster, AL → Birmingham 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 93m

Arrival 10m

Anniston Amtrak Station → Pell City, AL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Birmingham 19 mi, ~28m drive

To Anniston Amtrak Station 26 mi, ~40m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~11/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 11 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 1m

1h 28m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0604

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabaster, AL → Birmingham (Express Carriers) (BHM6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 88m

Arrival 10m

Anniston (Amtrak Train Station) (ANS6) → Pell City, AL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From BHM6 — Birmingham (Express Carriers) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To ANS6 — Anniston (Amtrak Train Station) 26 mi, ~40m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	58m	3h 18m	3h 21m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$11	$6
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

50 mi 57m

via I 20, I 459, I 65

Shortest (+9 min)

47.2 mi 1h 7m

via AL 119, I 20, I 65

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alabaster, AL to Pell City, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.