Drive or Fly: Crockett, CA to Walnut Creek, 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 CCR–CCR. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

27m

Distance

18.9 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 26m

2m in the air

Air Distance

13 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crockett, CA → CCR 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CCR → Walnut Creek, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Crockett, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 10 mi, ~14m drive

Walnut Creek, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR and CCR. 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

1h 33m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crockett, CA → Vallejo 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Martinez → Walnut Creek, CA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Vallejo 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Martinez 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 32m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0870

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crockett, CA → Vallejo Transit Center (VJO6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) → Walnut Creek, CA 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From VJO6 — Vallejo Transit Center 4 mi, ~10m drive

To OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 14 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	27m	2h 26m	1h 33m	1h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$2	$2
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	0 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

18.9 mi 26m

via CA 4

Alternative (+1 min)

21.9 mi 28m

via I 680, I 780

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Crockett, CA to Walnut Creek, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.