Drive or Fly: Bellingham, WA to Port Townsend, 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–PAE. At 73 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 18m

Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 56m

6m in the air

Air Distance

46 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bellingham, WA → BLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PAE → Port Townsend, WA 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Port Townsend, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLI and PAE. 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

2h 2m

41m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bellingham, WA → Bellingham Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 41m

Arrival 10m

Stanwood Amtrak → Port Townsend, WA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Bellingham Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Stanwood Amtrak 21 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 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 18m	2h 56m	2h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	12 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 — 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 15, 2026.

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