Drive or Fly: Spokane, WA to Toppenish, WA?

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 GEG–YKM. At 200 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 44m

Distance

200.9 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 55m

19m in the air

Air Distance

162 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane, WA → GEG 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

YKM → Toppenish, WA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Spokane, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Toppenish, WA YKM — Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GEG and YKM. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 4m

4h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$44

CO2

13 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane, WA → Spokane 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 286m

Arrival 10m

Wishram Amtrak → Toppenish, WA 88m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $44) $44

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

Stations

From Spokane 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Wishram Amtrak 59 mi, ~88m 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

4h 42m

3h on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane, WA → Spokane Station (SPO6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 180m

Arrival 10m

Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) → Toppenish, WA 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From SPO6 — Spokane Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 44 mi, ~67m 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	3h 44m	2h 55m	7h 4m	4h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$181	$44	$17
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	13 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, 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 Spokane, WA to Toppenish, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.