Drive or Fly: Banning, CA to Riverside, 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 PSP–SBD. At 33 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

44m

Distance

33.8 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 57m

4m in the air

Air Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Banning, CA → PSP 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → Riverside, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Banning, CA PSP — Palm Springs International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Riverside, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PSP and SBD. 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

1h 45m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Banning, CA → Cabazon Amtrak Bus Stop 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Riverside → Riverside, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Cabazon Amtrak Bus Stop 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Riverside 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 20m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2055

Door-to-Door Timeline

Banning, CA → Banning Bus Stop (BNG6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Riverside (Parking Lot 30 - University of California, Riverside) (UCR) → Riverside, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From BNG6 — Banning Bus Stop 0 mi, ~10m drive

To UCR — Riverside (Parking Lot 30 - University of California, Riverside) 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	44m	2h 57m	1h 45m	1h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$7	$3
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 Banning, CA to Riverside, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.