Drive or Fly: Vancouver, WA to Pomeroy, 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–LWS. At 307 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 9m

Distance

307.3 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

124 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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 23m

30m in the air

Air Distance

249 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → PDX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LWS → Pomeroy, WA 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Pomeroy, WA LWS — Lewiston Nez Perce County Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 46m 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

6h 36m

3h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → Vancouver 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 237m

Arrival 10m

Pasco Amtrak Station → Pomeroy, WA 109m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Vancouver 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Pasco Amtrak Station 73 mi, ~109m 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

6h 15m

3h 50m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2184

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 230m

Arrival 10m

Pasco Bus Stop (PAS6) → Pomeroy, WA 109m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

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

To PAS6 — Pasco Bus Stop 73 mi, ~109m 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 9m	3h 23m	6h 36m	6h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$185	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	124 kg CO₂	64 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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 18, 2026.

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