Drive or Fly: Port Saint Lucie, FL to Winston, 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 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 46m

Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 2m

14m in the air

Air Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → VRB 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAL → Winston, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Winston, FL LAL — Lakeland Linder International Airport 3 mi, ~10m 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

5h 23m

3h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Port Saint Lucie, FL → Okeechobee Amtrak 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 229m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Amtrak Station → Winston, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Okeechobee Amtrak 30 mi, ~44m drive

To Lakeland Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m 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

4h 20m

3h 35m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus N2411

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 215m

Arrival 10m

Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride (LKD6) → Winston, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

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

To LKD6 — Lakeland Gow B Fields Park & Ride 5 mi, ~10m 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	2h 46m	3h 2m	5h 23m	4h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125	$18	$12
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	6 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

133 mi 2h 45m

via FL 60, Florida's Turnpike, FL 570 Toll

Alternative (+15 min)

160.5 mi 3h 1m

via Florida's Turnpike, I 4, FL 417 Toll

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