Drive or Fly: Shelby, AL to Auburn, AL?

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 BHM–CSG. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 7m

Distance

96.1 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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

3h 46m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shelby, AL → BHM 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CSG → Auburn, AL 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Shelby, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

Auburn, AL CSG — Columbus Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and CSG. 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

4h 51m

1h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shelby, AL → Birmingham 46m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 93m

Arrival 10m

Anniston Amtrak Station → Auburn, AL 112m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Birmingham 31 mi, ~46m drive

To Anniston Amtrak Station 75 mi, ~112m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~11/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 11 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 47m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0624S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shelby, AL → Sylacauga (Allen Oil) (SAS6) 27m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Auburn Bus Stop (AUB6) → Auburn, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From SAS6 — Sylacauga (Allen Oil) 18 mi, ~27m drive

To AUB6 — Auburn Bus Stop 5 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	2h 7m	3h 46m	4h 51m	2h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$11	$7
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	4 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Shelby, AL to Auburn, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.