Drive or Fly: Bakersfield, CA to Altadena, 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 BFL–BUR. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

112.7 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

2h 42m

12m in the air

Air Distance

96 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → BFL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUR → Altadena, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Altadena, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFL and BUR. 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 15m

2h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfield 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Pasadena Amtrak Bus Stop → Altadena, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Bakersfield 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Pasadena Amtrak Bus Stop 3 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 48m

2h on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0831

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Glendale Bus Stop (GLN6) → Altadena, CA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

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

To GLN6 — Glendale Bus Stop 9 mi, ~13m 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 13m	2h 42m	3h 15m	2h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$20	$11
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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 Bakersfield, CA to Altadena, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.