Drive or Fly: North Bend, OR to Portland, 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 OTH–PDX. At 210 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 48m

Distance

210.1 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

85 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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 40m

20m in the air

Air Distance

165 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Bend, OR → OTH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Portland, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

North Bend, OR OTH — Southwest Oregon Regional Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

Portland, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OTH and PDX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 8m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 13m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Bend, OR → Eugene 108m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Portland → Portland, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Eugene 72 mi, ~108m drive

To Portland 0 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 34m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Bend, OR → Eugene (University of Oregon - Jaqua Academic Ctr) (1UJ) 109m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Portland, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From 1UJ — Eugene (University of Oregon - Jaqua Academic Ctr) 73 mi, ~109m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 0 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	4h 48m	2h 40m	5h 13m	5h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$21	$11
Carbon footprint	85 kg CO₂	42 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 North Bend, OR to Portland, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.