Drive or Fly: Stanley, ND to Valley City, ND?

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 MOT–JMS. At 260 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 4m

Distance

260.1 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

105 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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

4h 32m

27m in the air

Air Distance

226 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

58 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stanley, ND → MOT 77m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JMS → Valley City, ND 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Stanley, ND MOT — Minot International Airport 51 mi, ~77m drive

Valley City, ND JMS — Jamestown Regional Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MOT and JMS. 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

9h 15m

6h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stanley, ND → Stanley Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 419m

Arrival 10m

Fargo Amtrak Station → Valley City, ND 86m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

From Stanley Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Fargo Amtrak Station 58 mi, ~86m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 4m	4h 32m	9h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$184	$56
Carbon footprint	105 kg CO₂	58 kg CO₂	16 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Stanley, ND to Valley City, ND with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.