Drive or Fly: Sacramento, CA to Durham, CA?

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 SMF–RDD. At 84 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 44m

Distance

84.5 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 1m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sacramento, CA → SMF 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Durham, CA 98m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Sacramento, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Durham, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 65 mi, ~98m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and RDD. 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

3h 25m

2h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sacramento, CA → Sacramento Amtrak Bus Stop 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Chico Amtrak → Durham, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Sacramento Amtrak Bus Stop 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Chico Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 45m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sacramento, CA → Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) (0SI) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Chico Bus Station (CHO6) → Durham, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From 0SI — Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To CHO6 — Chico Bus Station 6 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	1h 44m	4h 1m	3h 25m	2h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$16	$9
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

84.5 mi 1h 44m

via CA 70, CA 99, CA 149

Shortest (+1 min)

81.4 mi 1h 45m

via CA 99, I 5, Durham-Dayton Highway

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sacramento, CA to Durham, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.