Drive or Fly: Bothell West, WA to Auburn, 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 PAE–SEA. At 39 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

55m

Distance

39.2 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 31m

4m in the air

Air Distance

34 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bothell West, WA → PAE 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Auburn, WA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Bothell West, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Auburn, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAE and SEA. 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 1m

1h 55m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bothell West, WA → Edmonds 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Auburn, WA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Edmonds 7 mi, ~10m drive

To Tacoma 10 mi, ~16m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 46m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2115

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bothell West, WA → Seattle (University of Washington) (1UW) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) → Auburn, WA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From 1UW — Seattle (University of Washington) 11 mi, ~16m drive

To SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 10 mi, ~15m 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	55m	2h 31m	3h 1m	1h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$8	$2
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

39.2 mi 54m

via I 405, WA 167

Alternative (+7 min)

44.2 mi 1h 1m

via I 405, I 5

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bothell West, WA to Auburn, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.