Drive or Fly: Lake Oswego, OR to Stayton, 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 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 11m

Distance

55.6 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 42m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Oswego, OR → PDX 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SLE → Stayton, OR 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Lake Oswego, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Stayton, OR SLE — Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field 13 mi, ~19m 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

1h 58m

46m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Oswego, OR → Oregon City Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 46m

Arrival 10m

Salem → Stayton, OR 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Oregon City Amtrak 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Salem 15 mi, ~22m 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

1h 59m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Oswego, OR → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) (1SA) → Stayton, OR 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 8 mi, ~11m drive

To 1SA — Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) 15 mi, ~23m 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	1h 11m	2h 42m	1h 58m	1h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$7	$5
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

55.6 mi 1h 11m

via I 5, OR 22; OR 99E Bus

Shortest (+10 min)

52.7 mi 1h 21m

via South Barlow Road, I 5, CR 74

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake Oswego, OR to Stayton, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.