Drive or Fly: Oakland, CA to Chester, CA?

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 OAK–RDD. At 221 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 45m

Distance

221 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

89 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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 58m

22m in the air

Air Distance

182 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, CA → OAK 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Chester, CA 86m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Oakland, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Chester, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 58 mi, ~86m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OAK and RDD. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 24m

4h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakland, CA → Oakland 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 256m

Arrival 10m

Chico Amtrak → Chester, CA 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Oakland 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Chico Amtrak 52 mi, ~78m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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	4h 45m	3h 58m	6h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$182	$27
Carbon footprint	89 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	8 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 Oakland, CA to Chester, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.