Drive or Fly: Valley City, ND to Thompson, 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–GFK. At 111 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 4m

Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 16m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Valley City, ND → JMS 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GFK → Thompson, ND 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Thompson, ND GFK — Grand Forks International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JMS and GFK. 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

3h 42m

1h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Valley City, ND → Fargo Amtrak Station 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 81m

Arrival 10m

Grand Forks Amtrak Station → Thompson, ND 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Fargo Amtrak Station 58 mi, ~86m drive

To Grand Forks Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m 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	2h 4m	3h 16m	3h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$123	$15
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	18 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

111 mi 2h 4m

via I 94; US 52, ND 18, I 29; US 81

Shortest (+0 min)

103.5 mi 2h 4m

via ND 32, ND 200, ND 15

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