Drive or Fly: Oxnard, CA to Oakland, 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 SBA–OAK. At 354 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 2m

Distance

354.7 mi

Total Cost

$113

CO2

143 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$78

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 47m

36m in the air

Air Distance

303 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oxnard, CA → SBA 61m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Oxnard, CA SBA — Santa Barbara Municipal Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBA and OAK. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 15m 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

11h 24m

9h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$61

CO2

21 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oxnard, CA → Oxnard 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 584m

Arrival 10m

Oakland → Oakland, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $61) $61

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

Stations

From Oxnard 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Oakland 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 15m

6h 50m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oxnard, CA → Santa Barbara Bus Stop (SBR6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 410m

Arrival 10m

Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) → Oakland, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From SBR6 — Santa Barbara Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 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	7h 2m	3h 47m	11h 24m	8h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$113	$187	$61	$30
Carbon footprint	143 kg CO₂	77 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	21 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

354.7 mi 7h 1m

via US 101, I 880, CA 154

Alternative (+5 min)

377.4 mi 7h 7m

via I 5, I 580, CA 126

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Oxnard, CA to Oakland, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.