Drive or Fly: Piru, CA to San Francisco, CA?

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

6h 39m

Distance

358.1 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

145 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$88

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 37m

37m in the air

Air Distance

308 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

79 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Piru, CA → BUR 43m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 37m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SFO → San Francisco, CA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Piru, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

98.6%

Cancellation

1.4%

+ Saves about 3h 2m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 35m

8h 10m on road

Total Cost

$36

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Piru, CA → Los Angeles (Laurel Canyon/Rinaldi - San Fernando) (0RN) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 490m

Arrival 10m

San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) → San Francisco, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From 0RN — Los Angeles (Laurel Canyon/Rinaldi - San Fernando) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	6h 39m	3h 37m	9h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$123	$187	$36
Carbon footprint	145 kg CO₂	79 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	99% on-time

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 Oct 23, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Piru, CA to San Francisco, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.