Drive or Fly: Port Saint Lucie, 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 VRB–LAL. At 116 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 22m

Distance

116 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 9m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → VRB 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Bartow, FL 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between VRB 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 59m

1h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → Okeechobee Amtrak 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Winter Haven → Bartow, FL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Okeechobee Amtrak 30 mi, ~44m drive

To Winter Haven 10 mi, ~15m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 22m	3h 9m	2h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$15
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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 Port Saint Lucie, FL to Bartow, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.