Drive or Fly: Simi Valley, CA to San Diego, 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 BUR–SAN. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 16m

Distance

162.2 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 4m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Simi Valley, CA → BUR 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Simi Valley, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR and SAN. 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

6h 10m

4h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

9 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Simi Valley, CA → Simi Valley Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 270m

Arrival 10m

San Diego → San Diego, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Simi Valley Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To San Diego 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~17/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

− 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 16m	3h 4m	6h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$28
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

162.2 mi 3h 15m

via I 5, CA 118

Alternative (+0 min)

166.3 mi 3h 16m

via I 5, I 405, CA 73

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