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Drive or Fly: Fort Davis, TX to El Paso, TX?

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 CNM–ELP. At 215 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 51m

Distance

215.3 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48
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

5h 36m

21m in the air

Air Distance

173 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Davis, TX → CNM 184m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 21m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ELP → El Paso, TX 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Davis, TX CNM — Cavern City Air Terminal 123 mi, ~184m drive
El Paso, TX ELP — El Paso International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CNM and ELP. 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
− May need a rental car at destination
− Luggage fees and restrictions
− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 6m

3h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Davis, TX → Alpine Amtrak Station 32m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 224m
Arrival 10m
El Paso → El Paso, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Alpine Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~32m drive
To El Paso 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week
− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable
− Need transportation to/from station
− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 35m

3h 28m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US1000

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Davis, TX → Pecos (Stripes) (PEC6) 92m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 208m
Arrival 10m
El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) (ELP6) → El Paso, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From PEC6 — Pecos (Stripes) 61 mi, ~92m drive
To ELP6 — El Paso Bus Station (W San Antonio St) 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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 3h 51m 5h 36m 5h 6m 5h 35m
Total cost (1 person) $83 $182 $39 $20
Carbon footprint 87 kg CO2 44 kg CO2 11 kg CO2 10 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 Fort Davis, TX to El Paso, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.