Drive or Fly: Saint Augustine Beach, FL to Tampa, 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 UST–TPA. At 187 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 40m

Distance

187 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 41m

18m in the air

Air Distance

150 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine Beach, FL → UST 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TPA → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Saint Augustine Beach, FL UST — Northeast Florida Regional Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Tampa, FL TPA — Tampa International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between UST and TPA. 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 56m

4h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Augustine Beach, FL → Palatka Amtrak 40m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 266m

Arrival 10m

Tampa → Tampa, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Palatka Amtrak 26 mi, ~40m drive

To Tampa 1 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 40m	2h 41m	5h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$25
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	38 kg CO₂	7 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 — 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint Augustine Beach, FL to Tampa, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.