Drive or Fly: Three Rivers, TX to Austin, TX?

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 CRP–AUS. At 148 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 42m

Distance

148 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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

15m in the air

Air Distance

128 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Three Rivers, TX → CRP 95m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Three Rivers, TX CRP — Corpus Christi International Airport 63 mi, ~95m drive

Austin, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CRP and AUS. 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

5h 1m

2h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Three Rivers, TX → San Antonio Amtrak Station 103m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 148m

Arrival 10m

Austin → Austin, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From San Antonio Amtrak Station 69 mi, ~103m drive

To Austin 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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	2h 42m	4h	5h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$15
Carbon footprint	60 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	4 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 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Three Rivers, TX to Austin, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.