Drive or Fly: Rancho Cordova, CA to Stockton, 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–SCK. At 50 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

50 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 41m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rancho Cordova, CA → SMF 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SCK → Stockton, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Rancho Cordova, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

Stockton, CA SCK — Stockton Metropolitan Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and SCK. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 11m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rancho Cordova, CA → Sacramento Amtrak Bus Stop 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Stockton → Stockton, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Sacramento Amtrak Bus Stop 10 mi, ~16m drive

To Stockton 1 mi, ~10m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 46m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0810

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rancho Cordova, CA → Sacramento Bus Station (SAC6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Stockton (Central de Autobuses) (SKN6) → Stockton, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From SAC6 — Sacramento Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To SKN6 — Stockton (Central de Autobuses) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	1h 5m	2h 41m	2h 11m	1h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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

50 mi 1h 4m

via CA 99, Bradshaw Road

Alternative (+6 min)

60.2 mi 1h 11m

via I 5, US 50

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rancho Cordova, CA to Stockton, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.