Drive or Fly: Southside, AL to Birmingham, 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–BHM. At 61 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 14m

Distance

61.7 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 29m

6m in the air

Air Distance

53 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southside, AL → BHM 73m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHM → Birmingham, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Southside, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 49 mi, ~73m drive

Birmingham, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and BHM. 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

3h 38m

2h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southside, AL → Anniston Amtrak Station 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Birmingham → Birmingham, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Anniston Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~33m drive

To Birmingham 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 55m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0622s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Southside, AL → Gadsden (U-Haul) (GDA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Birmingham (Express Carriers) (BHM6) → Birmingham, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From GDA6 — Gadsden (U-Haul) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To BHM6 — Birmingham (Express Carriers) 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 14m	3h 29m	3h 38m	1h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$11	$6
Carbon footprint	25 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 13, 2026.

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