Drive or Fly: Centralia, WA to Federal Way, 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 OLM–SEA. At 63 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 21m

Distance

63.8 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 46m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centralia, WA → OLM 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Federal Way, WA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Centralia, WA OLM — Olympia Regional Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Federal Way, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OLM 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

2h 2m

1h on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centralia, WA → Centralia Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Federal Way, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Tacoma 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 51m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centralia, WA → Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) (1OL) 34m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → Federal Way, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 1OL — Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) 23 mi, ~34m drive

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 8 mi, ~12m 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 21m	2h 46m	2h 2m	1h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$9	$3
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 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, 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 Centralia, WA to Federal Way, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.