Drive or Fly: Port Saint Lucie, FL to Saint Augustine 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–UST. At 198 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 44m

Distance

198.7 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 13m

22m in the air

Air Distance

185 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → VRB 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

UST → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

Saint Augustine Beach, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between VRB and UST. 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

9h 10m

7h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → Okeechobee Amtrak 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 426m

Arrival 10m

Palatka Amtrak → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Okeechobee Amtrak 30 mi, ~44m drive

To Palatka Amtrak 26 mi, ~40m 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 10m

4h 55m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0710s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 295m

Arrival 10m

Palm Coast Bus Stop (PLM6) → Saint Augustine Beach, FL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From PSL6 — Port St Lucie (Park & Ride) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To PLM6 — Palm Coast Bus Stop 26 mi, ~40m 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 44m	3h 13m	9h 10m	6h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$35	$18
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	9 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

198.7 mi 3h 43m

via I 95, US 1, Crosstown Parkway

Alternative (+36 min)

228.7 mi 4h 20m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 4, I 95

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