Drive or Fly: Albany, OR to Portland, OR?

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 SLE–PDX. At 70 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 31m

Distance

70.7 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 47m

8m in the air

Air Distance

65 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, OR → SLE 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Portland, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Albany, OR SLE — Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field 20 mi, ~29m drive

Portland, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLE and PDX. 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

2h 54m

1h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, OR → Albany Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 114m

Arrival 10m

Portland → Portland, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Albany Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Portland 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 49m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, OR → Corvallis (Oregon State University - 14th St/Jefferson Way) (1CV) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Portland, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From 1CV — Corvallis (Oregon State University - 14th St/Jefferson Way) 10 mi, ~14m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 0 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 31m	2h 47m	2h 54m	2h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$123	$13	$8
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Albany, OR to Portland, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.