Drive or Fly: Vancouver, WA to Summit View, 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–TIW. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 35m

Distance

133.4 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 44m

13m in the air

Air Distance

105 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → PDX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TIW → Summit View, WA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Summit View, WA TIW — Tacoma Narrows Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and TIW. 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 18m

2h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → Vancouver 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 136m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Summit View, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Vancouver 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Tacoma 8 mi, ~12m 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

3h 28m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → Summit View, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

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

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 8 mi, ~12m 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	2h 35m	2h 44m	3h 18m	3h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$22	$13
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	7 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 Summit View, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.