Drive or Fly: Tri-City, OR to Hillsboro, 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 204 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 12m

Distance

204.5 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 2m

21m in the air

Air Distance

176 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tri-City, OR → MFR 72m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Hillsboro, OR 29m

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

Hillsboro, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 20 mi, ~29m 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 30m

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 → Hillsboro, OR 23m

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 15 mi, ~23m 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 54m

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) → Hillsboro, OR 23m

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 15 mi, ~23m 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 12m	4h 2m	5h 30m	5h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$182	$21	$24
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	45 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 Hillsboro, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.