Drive or Fly: East Richmond Heights, 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 CCR–OAK. At 12 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

19m

Distance

12 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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 32m

1m in the air

Air Distance

10 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Richmond Heights, CA → CCR 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

East Richmond Heights, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 14 mi, ~21m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR 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 6m

26m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Capitol Corridor

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Richmond Heights, CA → Richmond 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 26m

Arrival 10m

Oakland → Oakland, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Richmond 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Oakland 0 mi, ~30m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	19m	2h 32m	2h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$2
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	1 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 25, 2026.

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