Drive or Fly: Orlando, FL to Bartow, FL?

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 MCO–LAL. At 58 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 21m

Distance

58.6 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 38m

6m in the air

Air Distance

53 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → MCO 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Bartow, FL 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Orlando, FL MCO — Orlando International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Bartow, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCO and LAL. 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

2h 51m

1h 11m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → Orlando 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 71m

Arrival 10m

Winter Haven → Bartow, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Orlando 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Winter Haven 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Orlando, FL → Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Bartow (Polk Courthouse Garage) (BAR6) → Bartow, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To BAR6 — Bartow (Polk Courthouse Garage) 0 mi, ~30m 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 21m	2h 38m	2h 51m	3h
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$8	$6
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Orlando, FL to Bartow, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.