Drive or Fly: Bakersfield, CA to Three Rivers, 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–FAT. At 88 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 56m

Distance

88.2 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 35m

9m in the air

Air Distance

74 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → BFL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FAT → Three Rivers, CA 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Three Rivers, CA FAT — Fresno Yosemite International Airport 51 mi, ~76m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFL and FAT. 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

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfield 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Hanford → Three Rivers, CA 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Bakersfield 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Hanford 42 mi, ~63m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 29m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0810

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Visalia Transit Station (VIS6) → Three Rivers, CA 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

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

To VIS6 — Visalia Transit Station 23 mi, ~34m 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 56m	3h 35m	3h 28m	2h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$15	$7
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	19 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

88.2 mi 1h 55m

via CA 65, CA 198, North Spruce Avenue

Alternative (+11 min)

101.8 mi 2h 7m

via CA 99, CA 198, CA 137

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