Drive or Fly: Everett, WA to Ephrata, 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 PAE–EAT. At 192 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 44m

Distance

192.7 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 13m

16m in the air

Air Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Everett, WA → PAE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAT → Ephrata, WA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Everett, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Ephrata, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAE and EAT. 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

5h 3m

4h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Everett, WA → Everett Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 243m

Arrival 10m

Ephrata Amtrak → Ephrata, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Everett Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Ephrata Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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 44m	3h 13m	5h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$125	$26
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	8 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Everett, WA to Ephrata, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.