Drive or Fly: Laguna Park, TX to Austin, 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 ACT–AUS. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 37m

Distance

138.6 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

2h 52m

13m in the air

Air Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laguna Park, TX → ACT 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Laguna Park, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACT 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

4h 20m

2h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laguna Park, TX → Mcgregor Amtrak 43m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 167m

Arrival 10m

Austin → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Mcgregor Amtrak 29 mi, ~43m drive

To Austin 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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	2h 37m	2h 52m	4h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$17
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	29 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 — 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

138.6 mi 2h 37m

via I 35, I 35; US 77, FM 2114

Shortest (+0 min)

122.4 mi 2h 37m

via I 35, TX 317, FM 56

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