Drive or Fly: Port Saint Lucie, 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 VRB–TPA. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

162.6 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 18m

16m in the air

Air Distance

130 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → VRB 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Apollo Beach, FL 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Port Saint Lucie, FL VRB — Vero Beach Regional Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between VRB 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

4h 40m

2h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → Okeechobee Amtrak 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 177m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Apollo Beach, FL 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Okeechobee Amtrak 30 mi, ~44m drive

To Tampa 13 mi, ~19m 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

5h 15m

4h 20m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus N2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → Port St Lucie (Park & Ride) (PSL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 260m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From PSL6 — Port St Lucie (Park & Ride) 5 mi, ~10m 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	3h 27m	3h 18m	4h 40m	5h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$22	$15
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	6 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, 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

162.6 mi 3h 26m

via FL 60, Florida's Turnpike, I 75

Shortest (+5 min)

157.9 mi 3h 32m

via Florida's Turnpike, CR 630, FL 60

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