Drive or Fly: Tacoma, WA to Ephrata, 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 TIW–EAT. At 184 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 37m

Distance

184.4 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 13m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tacoma, WA → TIW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAT → Ephrata, WA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Tacoma, WA TIW — Tacoma Narrows Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Ephrata, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TIW and EAT. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 6m

5h on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tacoma, WA → Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Moses Lake (1ML) → Ephrata, WA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 1ML — Moses Lake 21 mi, ~31m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 37m	3h 13m	6h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$125	$16
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	35 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: 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 Tacoma, WA to Ephrata, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.