Drive or Fly: Thousand Oaks, CA to San Diego, 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 BUR–SAN. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

162.5 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 8m

17m in the air

Air Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thousand Oaks, CA → BUR 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Thousand Oaks, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 28 mi, ~41m drive

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR and SAN. 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

5h 45m

4h 43m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

8 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Thousand Oaks, CA → Moorpark Amtrak 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 283m

Arrival 10m

San Diego → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Moorpark Amtrak 8 mi, ~12m drive

To San Diego 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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 12m	3h 8m	5h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$29
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	8 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 Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

162.5 mi 3h 11m

via I 5, I 405, US 101; CA 23

Shortest (+2 min)

160.2 mi 3h 14m

via I 5, US 101, US 101; CA 23

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