Drive or Fly: Hillsboro, OR to Madras, 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–RDM. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 26m

Distance

138.8 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 21m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsboro, OR → PDX 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDM → Madras, OR 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Hillsboro, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

Madras, OR RDM — Roberts Field 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and RDM. 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

5h 4m

2h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsboro, OR → Portland 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 134m

Arrival 10m

Wishram Amtrak → Madras, OR 107m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Portland 15 mi, ~23m drive

To Wishram Amtrak 71 mi, ~107m 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

4h 1m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2184

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsboro, OR → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 23m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

The Dalles (Transit Facility) (TDD6) → Madras, OR 103m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 15 mi, ~23m drive

To TDD6 — The Dalles (Transit Facility) 69 mi, ~103m 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 26m	3h 21m	5h 4m	4h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$17	$8
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	4 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 Hillsboro, OR to Madras, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.