Drive or Fly: Shingle Springs, CA to Oakland, 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–OAK. At 114 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 15m

Distance

114.1 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 15m

11m in the air

Air Distance

94 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shingle Springs, CA → SMF 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Shingle Springs, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Oakland, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and OAK. 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 14m

2h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Capitol Corridor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shingle Springs, CA → Auburn Amtrak 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 176m

Arrival 10m

Oakland → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Auburn Amtrak 18 mi, ~28m drive

To Oakland 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 25m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0870

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shingle Springs, CA → Roseville Bus Stop (RSV6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From RSV6 — Roseville Bus Stop 20 mi, ~30m drive

To OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 1 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 15m	3h 15m	4h 14m	4h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$20	$9
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 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 17, 2026.

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