Drive or Fly: Alamo, CA to Oakland, 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 CCR–OAK. At 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

24m

Distance

19.5 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 27m

2m in the air

Air Distance

13 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alamo, CA → CCR 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Alamo, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 10 mi, ~15m drive

Oakland, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR and OAK. 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

1h 16m

9m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Capitol Corridor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alamo, CA → Oakland Coliseum/Airport Amtrak 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 9m

Arrival 10m

Oakland → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Oakland Coliseum/Airport Amtrak 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Oakland 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~42/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 19m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0831

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alamo, CA → Hayward Bus Station (UHW) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From UHW — Hayward Bus Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart 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	24m	2h 27m	1h 16m	1h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$1	$2
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	0 kg CO₂	1 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 12, 2026.

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