Drive or Fly: Auburn, WA to Ocean Shores, WA?

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 SEA–OLM. At 114 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 44m

Distance

114.8 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 56m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, WA → SEA 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OLM → Ocean Shores, WA 89m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Auburn, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

Ocean Shores, WA OLM — Olympia Regional Airport 59 mi, ~89m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and OLM. 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 31m

51m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

7 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, WA → Tacoma 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 51m

Arrival 10m

Centralia Amtrak Station → Ocean Shores, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Tacoma 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Centralia Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, WA → Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) (1OL) → Ocean Shores, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 1OL — Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) 0 mi, ~30m 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	2h 44m	3h 56m	2h 31m	2h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$9	$4
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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 Auburn, WA to Ocean Shores, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.