Drive or Fly: Medford, OR to Portland, 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

5h 28m

Distance

274 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 47m

27m in the air

Air Distance

221 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Medford, OR → MFR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Portland, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Portland, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 2h 41m compared to driving

+ 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

9h 37m

7h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$47

CO2

16 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Medford, OR → Klamath Falls (KFS) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 477m

Arrival 10m

Portland (PDX) → Portland, OR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $47) $47

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

Stations

From KFS — Klamath Falls 0 mi, ~30m drive

To PDX — Portland 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 41m

5h 16m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Medford, OR → Grants Pass (A-1 Market) (GSP6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 316m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Portland, OR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From GSP6 — Grants Pass (A-1 Market) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~17/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	5h 28m	2h 47m	9h 37m	6h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$184	$47	$24
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	16 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 Jul 19, 2026.

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