Drive or Fly: Fern Park, FL to Tallahassee, FL?

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 SFB–TLH. At 264 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 57m

Distance

264.9 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

107 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 53m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fern Park, FL → SFB 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TLH → Tallahassee, FL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fern Park, FL SFB — Orlando Sanford International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Tallahassee, FL TLH — Tallahassee International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFB and TLH. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 4m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 50m

6h 25m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fern Park, FL → Orlando Bus Station (ORL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 385m

Arrival 10m

Tallahassee (CK Steele Bus Plaza) (TAL6) → Tallahassee, FL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From ORL6 — Orlando Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To TAL6 — Tallahassee (CK Steele Bus Plaza) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 57m	2h 53m	7h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$184	$24
Carbon footprint	107 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	15 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: 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 Oct 23, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

264.9 mi 4h 56m

via I 75, I 10, Florida's Turnpike

Shortest (+17 min)

253.1 mi 5h 13m

via US 19; US 98; US 27 Alternate, US 27, Florida's Turnpike

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fern Park, FL to Tallahassee, FL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.