Drive or Fly: Pilot Rock, OR to Gresham, 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 PDT–PDX. At 211 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 4m

Distance

211 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 58m

21m in the air

Air Distance

174 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pilot Rock, OR → PDT 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Gresham, OR 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pilot Rock, OR PDT — Eastern Oregon Regional Airport at Pendleton 15 mi, ~22m drive

Gresham, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDT and PDX. 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 55m

4h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pilot Rock, OR → Pasco Amtrak Station 80m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 277m

Arrival 10m

Portland → Gresham, OR 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Pasco Amtrak Station 54 mi, ~80m drive

To Portland 12 mi, ~18m 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

6h 3m

4h on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2184

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pilot Rock, OR → Pasco Bus Stop (PAS6) 80m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 240m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Gresham, OR 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From PAS6 — Pasco Bus Stop 54 mi, ~80m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 12 mi, ~18m 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 4m	2h 58m	6h 55m	6h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	85 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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 Pilot Rock, OR to Gresham, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.