Drive or Fly: Silverton, OR to Lake Oswego, OR?

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 SLE–PDX. At 36 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

54m

Distance

36.3 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

15 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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

4m in the air

Air Distance

29 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silverton, OR → SLE 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Lake Oswego, OR 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Silverton, OR SLE — Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field 13 mi, ~19m drive

Lake Oswego, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLE and PDX. 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

2h 22m

42m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silverton, OR → Salem 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 42m

Arrival 10m

Oregon City Amtrak → Lake Oswego, OR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Salem 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Oregon City Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 25m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silverton, OR → Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) (1SA) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Lake Oswego, OR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From 1SA — Salem (Chemeketa & Liberty) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m 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	54m	2h 41m	2h 22m	2h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$7	$5
Carbon footprint	15 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Silverton, OR to Lake Oswego, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.