Drive or Fly: Lincoln, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL?

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 BHM–BHM. At 99 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 53m

Distance

99.8 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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

4h 26m

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lincoln, AL → BHM 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHM → Tuscaloosa, AL 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Lincoln, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

Tuscaloosa, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 53 mi, ~80m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and BHM. 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 43m

3h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lincoln, AL → Anniston Amtrak Station 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 208m

Arrival 10m

Tuscaloosa Amtrak Station → Tuscaloosa, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Anniston Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Tuscaloosa Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 55m

3h 55m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0604

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lincoln, AL → Anniston (Amtrak Train Station) (ANS6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Tuscaloosa Bus Stop (TUS6) → Tuscaloosa, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From ANS6 — Anniston (Amtrak Train Station) 17 mi, ~25m drive

To TUS6 — Tuscaloosa Bus Stop 2 mi, ~10m 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 53m	4h 26m	4h 43m	4h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$124	$21	$11
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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 Lincoln, AL to Tuscaloosa, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.