Drive or Fly: Federal Way, WA to Shelton, 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 SEA–OLM. At 60 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

60.3 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 47m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → SEA 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OLM → Shelton, WA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Federal Way, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Shelton, WA OLM — Olympia Regional Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and OLM. 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

2h 11m

31m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → Tacoma 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 31m

Arrival 10m

Olympia-Lacey Amtrak Station → Shelton, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Tacoma 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Olympia-Lacey Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 5m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) (1OL) → Shelton, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 1OL — Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	1h 20m	2h 47m	2h 11m	2h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$5	$3
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 13, 2026.

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