Drive or Fly: Valley City, ND to Rugby, ND?

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 JMS–DVL. At 175 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 25m

Distance

175.4 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 24m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Valley City, ND → JMS 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DVL → Rugby, ND 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Valley City, ND JMS — Jamestown Regional Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Rugby, ND DVL — Devils Lake Regional Airport 53 mi, ~80m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JMS and DVL. 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 56m

3h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

11 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Valley City, ND → Fargo Amtrak Station 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Rugby Amtrak Station → Rugby, ND 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Fargo Amtrak Station 58 mi, ~86m drive

To Rugby Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	3h 25m	4h 24m	5h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$36
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	11 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

175.4 mi 3h 24m

via ND 3, US 52; US 281, I 94; US 52

Alternative (+14 min)

181.8 mi 3h 38m

via US 2, ND 20, ND 1

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Valley City, ND to Rugby, ND with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.