Drive or Fly: Howard Landing, CA to Rancho Cordova, 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 CCR–SMF. At 45 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

54m

Distance

45 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

18 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 15m

4m in the air

Air Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Howard Landing, CA → CCR 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Rancho Cordova, CA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Howard Landing, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 30 mi, ~45m drive

Rancho Cordova, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR 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

1h 34m

15m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Howard Landing, CA → Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Sacramento Amtrak Bus Stop → Rancho Cordova, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop 15 mi, ~23m drive

To Sacramento Amtrak Bus Stop 10 mi, ~16m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 50m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0810

Door-to-Door Timeline

Howard Landing, CA → Lodi Bus Stop (LDI6) 29m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Sacramento Bus Station (SAC6) → Rancho Cordova, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From LDI6 — Lodi Bus Stop 19 mi, ~29m drive

To SAC6 — Sacramento Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m 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	54m	3h 15m	1h 34m	1h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$2	$4
Carbon footprint	18 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	2 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Howard Landing, CA to Rancho Cordova, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.