Drive or Fly: Martin, ND to Pickardville, ND?

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 DVL–BIS. At 50 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 1m

Distance

50.4 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 46m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Martin, ND → DVL 89m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BIS → Pickardville, ND 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Martin, ND DVL — Devils Lake Regional Airport 59 mi, ~89m drive

Pickardville, ND BIS — Bismarck Municipal Airport 49 mi, ~73m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DVL and BIS. 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 24m

1h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Martin, ND → Rugby Amtrak Station 57m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 73m

Arrival 10m

Minot Amtrak Station → Pickardville, ND 94m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Rugby Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~57m drive

To Minot Amtrak Station 62 mi, ~94m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 1m	4h 46m	4h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$121	$12
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	4 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Martin, ND to Pickardville, ND with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.