Drive or Fly: Nashville, TN to Oak Ridge, TN?

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 BNA–TYS. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 3m

Distance

162.7 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 58m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Nashville, TN → BNA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TYS → Oak Ridge, TN 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Nashville, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Oak Ridge, TN TYS — McGhee Tyson Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BNA and TYS. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 33m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Nashville, TN → Nashville Bus Station (NAS6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop (KNO6) → Oak Ridge, TN 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From NAS6 — Nashville Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To KNO6 — Knoxville Area Transit Bus Stop 22 mi, ~33m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 3m	2h 58m	4h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$18
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	9 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: 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Nashville, TN to Oak Ridge, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.