Drive or Fly: Devils Lake, ND to Washburn, ND?

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 DVL–BIS. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 21m

Distance

166.8 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 21m

14m in the air

Air Distance

116 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Devils Lake, ND → DVL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BIS → Washburn, ND 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Devils Lake, ND DVL — Devils Lake Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Washburn, ND BIS — Bismarck Municipal Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DVL and BIS. 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 37m

2h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Devils Lake, ND → Devils Lake Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 127m

Arrival 10m

Minot Amtrak Station → Washburn, ND 100m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Devils Lake Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Minot Amtrak Station 67 mi, ~100m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	3h 21m	3h 21m	4h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$23
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	29 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 Devils Lake, ND to Washburn, ND with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.