Drive or Fly: Barstow, CA to Long Beach, 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 SBD–LGB. At 129 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 30m

Distance

129.5 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 47m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barstow, CA → SBD 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Barstow, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

Long Beach, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBD and LGB. 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

4h 59m

3h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barstow, CA → Barstow 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 224m

Arrival 10m

Fullerton Amtrak Station → Long Beach, CA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Barstow 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Fullerton Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 30m	3h 47m	4h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$18
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	5 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 — 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 Barstow, CA to Long Beach, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.