Drive or Fly: Vancouver, WA to Black Diamond, WA?

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 PDX–SEA. At 157 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 10m

Distance

157.2 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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

2h 50m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → PDX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Black Diamond, WA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Vancouver, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Black Diamond, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and SEA. 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 59m

2h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → Vancouver 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 166m

Arrival 10m

Tukwila Amtrak → Black Diamond, WA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Vancouver 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Tukwila Amtrak 15 mi, ~23m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 11m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) → Black Diamond, WA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 8 mi, ~11m drive

To SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 17 mi, ~25m 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	3h 10m	2h 50m	3h 59m	4h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$26	$15
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	7 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, 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Vancouver, WA to Black Diamond, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.