Drive or Fly: Bellingham, WA to Ocean Shores, WA?

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 BLI–OLM. At 223 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 55m

Distance

223.2 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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 56m

17m in the air

Air Distance

146 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bellingham, WA → BLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OLM → Ocean Shores, WA 89m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Bellingham, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Ocean Shores, WA OLM — Olympia Regional Airport 59 mi, ~89m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLI and OLM. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 15m

4h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

13 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bellingham, WA → Bellingham Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 275m

Arrival 10m

Centralia Amtrak Station → Ocean Shores, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Bellingham Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Centralia Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 55m	3h 56m	6h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$181	$28
Carbon footprint	90 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	13 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bellingham, WA to Ocean Shores, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.