Drive or Fly: Texas, AL to Gardendale, 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 MSL–BHM. At 69 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

69.9 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

28 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 42m

6m in the air

Air Distance

53 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Texas, AL → MSL 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHM → Gardendale, AL 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Texas, AL MSL — Northwest Alabama Regional Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

Gardendale, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSL 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

4h 18m

2h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Texas, AL → Tuscaloosa Amtrak Station 77m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 126m

Arrival 10m

Birmingham → Gardendale, AL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Tuscaloosa Amtrak Station 51 mi, ~77m drive

To Birmingham 10 mi, ~15m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~11/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 11 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0622s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Texas, AL → Jasper (Love's) (JAS6) 40m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Birmingham (Express Carriers) (BHM6) → Gardendale, AL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From JAS6 — Jasper (Love's) 27 mi, ~40m drive

To BHM6 — Birmingham (Express Carriers) 10 mi, ~15m 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 20m	3h 42m	4h 18m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$10	$3
Carbon footprint	28 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 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 16, 2026.

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