Drive or Fly: Medford, OR to Depoe Bay, OR?

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 MFR–SLE. At 271 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 42m

Distance

271.4 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

110 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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 51m

22m in the air

Air Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Medford, OR → MFR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SLE → Depoe Bay, OR 79m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Medford, OR MFR — Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Depoe Bay, OR SLE — Salem-Willamette Valley Airport/McNary Field 52 mi, ~79m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MFR and SLE. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 17m

5h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

16 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Medford, OR → Klamath Falls 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 337m

Arrival 10m

Albany Amtrak Station → Depoe Bay, OR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Klamath Falls 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Albany Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 42m	3h 51m	7h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$182	$36
Carbon footprint	110 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	16 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

271.4 mi 5h 42m

via I 5, US 20, US 101

Shortest (+7 min)

252.5 mi 5h 49m

via I 5, US 101, OR 38

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Medford, OR to Depoe Bay, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.