Drive or Fly: South Pasadena, CA to San Bernardino, 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–SBD. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 12m

Distance

55.2 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 36m

6m in the air

Air Distance

49 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Pasadena, CA → BUR 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

South Pasadena, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

San Bernardino, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR and SBD. 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 50m

1h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Pasadena, CA → Pasadena Amtrak Bus Stop 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 110m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Pasadena Amtrak Bus Stop 2 mi, ~10m drive

To San Bernardino 1 mi, ~10m 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

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2015

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Pasadena, CA → Los Angeles Downtown (FlixBus Lot) (ULA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center (UBD) → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From ULA — Los Angeles Downtown (FlixBus Lot) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To UBD — San Bernardino Downtown Transit Center 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	1h 12m	2h 36m	2h 50m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$10	$6
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 12, 2026.

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