Drive or Fly: Greenville, CA to Laguna, 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 TKF–SMF. At 159 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 31m

Distance

159.7 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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

4h 34m

15m in the air

Air Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Greenville, CA → TKF 107m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Laguna, CA 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Greenville, CA TKF — Truckee Tahoe Airport 71 mi, ~107m drive

Laguna, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TKF and SMF. 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

4h 24m

2h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Greenville, CA → Oroville Amtrak Bus Stop 81m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 133m

Arrival 10m

Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop → Laguna, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Oroville Amtrak Bus Stop 54 mi, ~81m drive

To Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 6m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Greenville, CA → Chico Bus Station (CHO6) 83m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) (0SI) → Laguna, CA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From CHO6 — Chico Bus Station 55 mi, ~83m drive

To 0SI — Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) 12 mi, ~18m 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	3h 31m	4h 34m	4h 24m	4h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$15	$9
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	5 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 17, 2026.

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