Drive or Fly: Lake of the Pines, 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 SMF–OAK. At 126 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 37m

Distance

126.3 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 19m

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Pines, CA → SMF 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Lake of the Pines, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 25m

4h on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Pines, CA → Colfax (Standlock Bottle Shop) (CFX6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 240m

Arrival 10m

Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) (OAK) → Oakland, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From CFX6 — Colfax (Standlock Bottle Shop) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To OAK — Oakland (West Oakland Bart Station) 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 37m	3h 19m	5h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$13
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	7 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 Apr 19, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake of the Pines, CA to Oakland, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.