Drive or Fly: Fort Collins, CO to Strasburg, CO?

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

Driving wins

Medium

At this distance, driving is almost always faster and cheaper door-to-door.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 41m

Distance

93.5 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 43m

9m in the air

Air Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → CYS 63m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEN → Strasburg, CO 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Fort Collins, CO CYS — Cheyenne Regional Jerry Olson Field 42 mi, ~63m drive

Strasburg, CO DEN — Denver International Airport 20 mi, ~31m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

96.4%

Cancellation

3.6%

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 32m

3h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → Granby Amtrak Station 85m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 213m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Strasburg, CO 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Granby Amtrak Station 57 mi, ~85m drive

To Denver 36 mi, ~54m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 34m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0560S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Collins, CO → Harmony Transfer Centre (FON6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Denver Union Station Bus Concourse (DEN6) → Strasburg, CO 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From FON6 — Harmony Transfer Centre 6 mi, ~10m drive

To DEN6 — Denver Union Station Bus Concourse 36 mi, ~54m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	1h 41m	3h 43m	6h 32m	2h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$11	$6
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	96% 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 Jun 4, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

93.5 mi 1h 41m

via I 25, E470, I 70

Alternative (+5 min)

94.3 mi 1h 46m

via I 25, I 70, I 270

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fort Collins, CO to Strasburg, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.