Drive or Fly: Watford City, ND to Hazen, ND?

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 XWA–BIS. At 111 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 15m

Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 30m

10m in the air

Air Distance

85 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Watford City, ND → XWA 58m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BIS → Hazen, ND 82m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Watford City, ND XWA — Williston Basin International Airport 38 mi, ~58m drive

Hazen, ND BIS — Bismarck Municipal Airport 55 mi, ~82m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between XWA and BIS. 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

5h 49m

2h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Watford City, ND → Williston Amtrak Station 42m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 167m

Arrival 10m

Minot Amtrak Station → Hazen, ND 100m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Williston Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~42m drive

To Minot Amtrak Station 67 mi, ~100m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	2h 15m	4h 30m	5h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$123	$21
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	6 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Watford City, ND to Hazen, ND with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.