Drive or Fly: Vancouver, WA to Colfax, 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–PUW. At 339 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 33m

Distance

339.4 mi

Total Cost

$110

CO2

137 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$75

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 5m

32m in the air

Air Distance

267 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → PDX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PUW → Colfax, WA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Colfax, WA PUW — Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and PUW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 28m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

9h 19m

7h 8m on rail

Total Cost

$57

CO2

17 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → Vancouver 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 428m

Arrival 10m

Spokane → Colfax, WA 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $57) $57

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

Stations

From Vancouver 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Spokane 54 mi, ~81m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

11h 22m

9h 25m on road

Total Cost

$32

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 565m

Arrival 10m

Spokane Station (SPO6) → Colfax, WA 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

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

To SPO6 — Spokane Station 54 mi, ~81m 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	6h 33m	3h 5m	9h 19m	11h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$110	$186	$57	$32
Carbon footprint	137 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	17 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 13, 2026.

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