Drive or Fly: Fort Totten, ND to Watford City, 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–XWA. At 229 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 58m

Distance

229.6 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51

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 37m

24m in the air

Air Distance

199 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

51 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Totten, ND → DVL 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

XWA → Watford City, ND 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Totten, ND DVL — Devils Lake Regional Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Watford City, ND XWA — Williston Basin International Airport 38 mi, ~58m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DVL and XWA. 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

6h 38m

5h on rail

Total Cost

$44

CO2

13 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Totten, ND → Devils Lake Amtrak Station 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Williston Amtrak Station → Watford City, ND 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $44) $44

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

Stations

From Devils Lake Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Williston Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~42m 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	4h 58m	3h 37m	6h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$86	$183	$44
Carbon footprint	93 kg CO₂	51 kg CO₂	13 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 Fort Totten, ND to Watford City, ND with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.