Drive or Fly: Brenham, TX to Arlington, TX?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

Short enough to drive comfortably in a day. Airport overhead makes flying slower door-to-door. Available flights require a connection, adding time and cost.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 13m

Distance

221 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

89 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 24m

22m in the air

Air Distance

182 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brenham, TX → CLL 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DFW → Arlington, TX 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Brenham, TX CLL — Easterwood Field 29 mi, ~44m drive

Arlington, TX DFW — Dallas Fort Worth International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

96.8%

Cancellation

3.2%

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 20m

3h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

13 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brenham, TX → Taylor Amtrak (TAY) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth (FTW) → Arlington, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From TAY — Taylor Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FTW — Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 15m

4h 50m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brenham, TX → Navasota (Circle T) (NAV6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 290m

Arrival 10m

Arlington (7-Eleven) (ART6) → Arlington, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From NAV6 — Navasota (Circle T) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ART6 — Arlington (7-Eleven) 0 mi, ~30m 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	4h 13m	3h 24m	5h 20m	6h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$182	$30	$19
Carbon footprint	89 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	97% on-time

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 Jul 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

221 mi 4h 13m

via TX 6, I 35W, I 35; US 77

Alternative (+17 min)

229.4 mi 4h 30m

via I 45, TX 90, TX 105

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Brenham, TX to Arlington, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.