Drive or Fly: Redmond, WA to Elk Plain, WA?

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 BFI–TIW. At 54 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 18m

Distance

54.2 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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

2h 51m

5m in the air

Air Distance

45 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Redmond, WA → BFI 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TIW → Elk Plain, WA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Redmond, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 13 mi, ~20m drive

Elk Plain, WA TIW — Tacoma Narrows Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFI and TIW. 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

1h 59m

43m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Redmond, WA → Seattle 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 43m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Elk Plain, WA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Seattle 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Tacoma 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 39m

1h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

Redmond, WA → Seattle (University of Washington) (1UW) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 100m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → Elk Plain, WA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 1UW — Seattle (University of Washington) 9 mi, ~14m drive

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 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	1h 18m	2h 51m	1h 59m	2h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$5	$3
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	1 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: 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Redmond, WA to Elk Plain, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.