Drive or Fly: Tri-City, OR to Gresham, OR?

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 MFR–PDX. At 209 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 18m

Distance

209.1 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 48m

21m in the air

Air Distance

179 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tri-City, OR → MFR 72m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Gresham, OR 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Tri-City, OR MFR — Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport 48 mi, ~72m drive

Gresham, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MFR and PDX. 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

5h 25m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tri-City, OR → Eugene 112m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Portland → Gresham, OR 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Eugene 75 mi, ~112m drive

To Portland 12 mi, ~18m 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

5h 49m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0500

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tri-City, OR → Grants Pass (A-1 Market) (GSP6) 56m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 250m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Gresham, OR 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From GSP6 — Grants Pass (A-1 Market) 37 mi, ~56m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 12 mi, ~18m 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	4h 18m	3h 48m	5h 25m	5h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182	$21	$24
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	13 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Tri-City, OR to Gresham, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.