Drive or Fly: Bakersfield, CA to Belvedere, 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–HHR. At 117 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 18m

Distance

117 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 41m

12m in the air

Air Distance

104 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → BFL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Belvedere, CA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Belvedere, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFL and HHR. 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 28m

2h 28m 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 148m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Belvedere, 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 Los Angeles 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

3h 10m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2006

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles Downtown (FlixBus Lot) (ULA) → Belvedere, CA 10m

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 ULA — Los Angeles Downtown (FlixBus Lot) 4 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	2h 18m	2h 41m	3h 28m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$20	$11
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	27 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 12, 2026.

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