Drive or Fly: Hillsboro, OR to Tri-City, OR?

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 12m

Distance

204.6 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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

4h 2m

21m in the air

Air Distance

176 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsboro, OR → PDX 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MFR → Tri-City, OR 72m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Hillsboro, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

Tri-City, OR MFR — Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport 48 mi, ~72m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ 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 34m

2h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsboro, OR → Portland 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 159m

Arrival 10m

Eugene → Tri-City, OR 112m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Portland 15 mi, ~23m drive

To Eugene 75 mi, ~112m 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

6h 59m

5h 15m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0500

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsboro, OR → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 23m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 315m

Arrival 10m

Grants Pass (A-1 Market) (GSP6) → Tri-City, OR 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 15 mi, ~23m drive

To GSP6 — Grants Pass (A-1 Market) 37 mi, ~56m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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	4h 12m	4h 2m	5h 34m	6h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$182	$21	$24
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% 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 3, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hillsboro, OR to Tri-City, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.