Drive or Fly: Pasco, WA to Sunnyside, WA?

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 PSC–PDX. At 207 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 10m

Distance

207.6 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 46m

19m in the air

Air Distance

162 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pasco, WA → PSC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Sunnyside, WA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pasco, WA PSC — Tri Cities Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Sunnyside, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PSC and PDX. 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

5h 8m

3h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pasco, WA → Pasco Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Vancouver → Sunnyside, WA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Pasco Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Vancouver 15 mi, ~23m 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

4h on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2184

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pasco, WA → Pasco Bus Stop (PAS6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 240m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Sunnyside, WA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From PAS6 — Pasco Bus Stop 1 mi, ~10m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 17 mi, ~25m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 10m	2h 46m	5h 8m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$181	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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, 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

207.6 mi 4h 9m

via I 84; US 30, US 395, WA 14

Alternative (+17 min)

226.4 mi 4h 27m

via I 84; US 30, US 395, I 205

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Pasco, WA to Sunnyside, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.