Drive or Fly: Valley Mills, TX to Rhode Island, TX?

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 ACT–ACT. At 100 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

100.5 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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

9m in the air

Air Distance

74 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Valley Mills, TX → ACT 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ACT → Rhode Island, TX 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Valley Mills, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

Rhode Island, TX ACT — Waco Regional Airport 60 mi, ~91m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACT and ACT. 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

8h 23m

5h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Valley Mills, TX → Mcgregor Amtrak 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 331m

Arrival 10m

Mineola → Rhode Island, TX 109m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Mcgregor Amtrak 15 mi, ~23m drive

To Mineola 73 mi, ~109m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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 58m	4h 2m	8h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$28
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	8 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

100.5 mi 1h 58m

via TX 31, I 45, FM 1637

Shortest (+10 min)

93.1 mi 2h 9m

via TX 31, FM 1637, FM 27

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Valley Mills, TX to Rhode Island, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.