Drive or Fly: Gresham, OR to Tillamook, OR?

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 PDX–SLE. At 90 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 8m

Distance

90 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 47m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gresham, OR → PDX 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SLE → Tillamook, OR 84m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Gresham, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Tillamook, OR SLE — Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field 56 mi, ~84m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and SLE. 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

3h 30m

1h 11m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gresham, OR → Portland 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 71m

Arrival 10m

Salem → Tillamook, OR 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Portland 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Salem 54 mi, ~81m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 3m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gresham, OR → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) (1SA) → Tillamook, OR 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 12 mi, ~18m drive

To 1SA — Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) 53 mi, ~80m 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	2h 8m	3h 47m	3h 30m	3h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 Gresham, OR to Tillamook, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.