Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Saranap, 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 SFO–CCR. At 23 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

35m

Distance

23.9 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

10 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 30m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CCR → Saranap, CA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Saranap, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFO and CCR. 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

1h 15m

20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus 2005

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 20m

Arrival 10m

Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) → Saranap, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	35m	2h 30m	1h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	10 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	0 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 17, 2026.

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