Drive or Fly: Lakeside, FL to Tampa, FL?

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 JAX–TPA. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 9m

Distance

176.5 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 7m

19m in the air

Air Distance

156 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeside, FL → JAX 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Lakeside, FL JAX — Jacksonville International Airport 26 mi, ~38m drive

Tampa, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JAX and TPA. 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

6h 44m

5h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeside, FL → Jacksonville 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 329m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Jacksonville 16 mi, ~25m drive

To Tampa 1 mi, ~10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 9m	3h 7m	6h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$34
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	10 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lakeside, FL to Tampa, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.