Drive or Fly: Grand Prairie, TX to Round Rock, 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 DFW–AUS. At 181 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 15m

Distance

181.9 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 7m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Prairie, TX → DFW 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Round Rock, TX 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Grand Prairie, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Round Rock, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 22 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DFW and AUS. 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

7h 2m

5h 22m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

11 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Prairie, TX → Dallas 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 322m

Arrival 10m

Taylor Amtrak → Round Rock, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Dallas 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Taylor Amtrak 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 15m	3h 7m	7h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$31
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	11 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

181.9 mi 3h 14m

via I 35E, I 35, I 20

Shortest (+3 min)

179.5 mi 3h 17m

via I 35, I 35W, US 67

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Grand Prairie, TX to Round Rock, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.