Drive or Fly: Portland, TN to Clarksville, TN?

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 BNA–BNA. At 61 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 21m

Distance

61.1 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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

4h 6m

6m in the air

Air Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portland, TN → BNA 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BNA → Clarksville, TN 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Portland, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

Clarksville, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 47 mi, ~71m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BNA and BNA. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 11m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0185

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portland, TN → Nashville Bus Station (NAS6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Clarksville Park & Ride (CLK6) → Clarksville, TN 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From NAS6 — Nashville Bus Station 33 mi, ~49m drive

To CLK6 — Clarksville Park & Ride 8 mi, ~12m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 21m	4h 6m	2h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Portland, TN to Clarksville, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.