Drive or Fly: Chula Vista, CA to Silver Lake, CA?

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 SAN–BUR. At 131 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 39m

Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 42m

15m in the air

Air Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chula Vista, CA → SAN 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUR → Silver Lake, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Chula Vista, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Silver Lake, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SAN and BUR. 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

4h 25m

3h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chula Vista, CA → San Diego 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 204m

Arrival 10m

Glendale Amtrak → Silver Lake, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From San Diego 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Glendale Amtrak 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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 39m	2h 42m	4h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125	$23
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Chula Vista, CA to Silver Lake, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.