Drive or Fly: Pinecrest, FL to Apollo Beach, 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 LAL–TPA. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

38m

Distance

22.1 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 44m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pinecrest, FL → LAL 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Apollo Beach, FL 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Pinecrest, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Apollo Beach, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAL and TPA. 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 11m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pinecrest, FL → Lakeland Amtrak Station 27m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Apollo Beach, FL 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Lakeland Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~27m drive

To Tampa 13 mi, ~19m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 38m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0740s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pinecrest, FL → Plant City (Sunoco) (PNT6) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Tampa Bus Station (TPA6) → Apollo Beach, FL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From PNT6 — Plant City (Sunoco) 12 mi, ~18m drive

To TPA6 — Tampa Bus Station 13 mi, ~20m 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	38m	2h 44m	2h 11m	1h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$6	$2
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

22.1 mi 37m

via Fishhawk Boulevard, Lithia Pinecrest Road, Boyette Road

Alternative (+0 min)

22.7 mi 38m

via CR 672, CR 39

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