Drive or Fly: Winters, CA to Oakland, CA?

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 SMF–OAK. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 3m

Distance

62.6 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 51m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Winters, CA → SMF 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Winters, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 24 mi, ~35m drive

Oakland, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and OAK. 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

2h 47m

1h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Capitol Corridor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Winters, CA → Davis 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 98m

Arrival 10m

Oakland → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Davis 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Oakland 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~78/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 13m

1h 8m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0870

Door-to-Door Timeline

Winters, CA → Suisun City Bus Stop (SSC6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 68m

Arrival 10m

Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From SSC6 — Suisun City Bus Stop 20 mi, ~30m drive

To OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	1h 3m	2h 51m	2h 47m	2h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$12	$4
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Winters, CA to Oakland, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.