Drive or Fly: Tulelake, CA to Mount Shasta, CA?

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–RDD. At 86 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 53m

Distance

86.5 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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

5h 26m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tulelake, CA → MFR 116m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Mount Shasta, CA 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Tulelake, CA MFR — Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport 77 mi, ~116m drive

Mount Shasta, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 55 mi, ~83m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MFR and RDD. 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 4m

2h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tulelake, CA → Klamath Falls 36m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 157m

Arrival 10m

Dunsmuir Amtrak Station → Mount Shasta, CA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Klamath Falls 24 mi, ~36m drive

To Dunsmuir Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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	1h 53m	5h 26m	4h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$122	$15
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	16 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Tulelake, CA to Mount Shasta, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.