Drive or Fly: Washburn, ND to Valley City, ND?

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 BIS–JMS. At 171 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 53m

Distance

171.6 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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

4h 2m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Washburn, ND → BIS 57m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JMS → Valley City, ND 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Washburn, ND BIS — Bismarck Municipal Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

Valley City, ND JMS — Jamestown Regional Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BIS and JMS. 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

8h 14m

4h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$46

CO2

13 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Washburn, ND → Minot Amtrak Station 100m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 268m

Arrival 10m

Fargo Amtrak Station → Valley City, ND 86m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $46) $46

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

Stations

From Minot Amtrak Station 67 mi, ~100m drive

To Fargo Amtrak Station 58 mi, ~86m 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	2h 53m	4h 2m	8h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$46
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	37 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

171.6 mi 2h 52m

via I 94, US 83, US 83; ND 1804

Shortest (+14 min)

163.1 mi 3h 7m

via ND 36, I 94; US 52, US 52; US 281

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Washburn, ND to Valley City, ND with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.