Drive or Fly: Rockcreek, OR to Salem, OR?

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 PDX–SLE. At 50 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

58m

Distance

50.7 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 36m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockcreek, OR → PDX 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SLE → Salem, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Rockcreek, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Salem, OR SLE — Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and SLE. 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 51m

1h 11m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockcreek, OR → Portland 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 71m

Arrival 10m

Salem → Salem, OR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Portland 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Salem 0 mi, ~30m 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

2h 25m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockcreek, OR → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) (1SA) → Salem, OR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 1SA — Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) 0 mi, ~30m 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	58m	2h 36m	2h 51m	2h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 Rockcreek, OR to Salem, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.