Drive or Fly: Craig, CO to Greeley, CO?

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 HDN–DEN. At 256 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 21m

Distance

256.7 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

104 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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 43m

18m in the air

Air Distance

149 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Craig, CO → HDN 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Greeley, CO 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Craig, CO HDN — Yampa Valley Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

Greeley, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HDN and DEN. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

10h 20m

6h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Craig, CO → Glenwood Springs 102m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 405m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Greeley, CO 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Glenwood Springs 68 mi, ~102m drive

To Denver 49 mi, ~73m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 21m	3h 43m	10h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$181	$25
Carbon footprint	104 kg CO₂	38 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Craig, CO to Greeley, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.