Drive or Fly: Birmingham, AL to Centre, AL?

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 BHM–CHA. At 85 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 39m

Distance

85.2 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 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 59m

9m in the air

Air Distance

78 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Birmingham, AL → BHM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHA → Centre, AL 100m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Birmingham, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Centre, AL CHA — Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field) 67 mi, ~100m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and CHA. 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 17m

1h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Birmingham, AL → Birmingham 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 93m

Arrival 10m

Anniston Amtrak Station → Centre, AL 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Birmingham 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Anniston Amtrak Station 36 mi, ~54m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~11/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 11 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 11m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0622s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Birmingham, AL → Birmingham (Express Carriers) (BHM6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Gadsden (U-Haul) (GDA6) → Centre, AL 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From BHM6 — Birmingham (Express Carriers) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To GDA6 — Gadsden (U-Haul) 21 mi, ~31m 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 39m	3h 59m	3h 17m	2h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$11	$6
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Birmingham, AL to Centre, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.