Drive or Fly: Smithville, TX to Fort Worth, TX?

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 AUS–FTW. At 225 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 56m

Distance

225.3 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 22m

23m in the air

Air Distance

188 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithville, TX → AUS 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FTW → Fort Worth, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Smithville, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

Fort Worth, TX FTW — Fort Worth Meacham International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AUS and FTW. 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

6h 11m

4h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

13 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithville, TX → Austin (AUS) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 271m

Arrival 10m

Fort Worth (FTW) → Fort Worth, TX 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From AUS — Austin 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FTW — Fort Worth 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	3h 56m	3h 22m	6h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$183	$35
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	13 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 Jul 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

225.3 mi 3h 56m

via I 35, I 35W, TX 45 Toll; TX 130 Toll

Shortest (+7 min)

215.9 mi 4h 3m

via US 77, I 35W, I 35; US 77

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Smithville, TX to Fort Worth, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.