Drive or Fly: Forest Ranch, CA to Oakland, 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 RDD–OAK. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 36m

Distance

170.1 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 49m

18m in the air

Air Distance

147 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Forest Ranch, CA → RDD 81m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Forest Ranch, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 54 mi, ~81m drive

Oakland, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDD and OAK. 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 53m

4h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Forest Ranch, CA → Chico Amtrak 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 282m

Arrival 10m

Oakland → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Chico Amtrak 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Oakland 1 mi, ~10m 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	3h 36m	3h 49m	5h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$27
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	38 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Forest Ranch, CA to Oakland, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.