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Train vs. Car for Taking a Trip from Portland to Seattle

Having lived in Maine for about seven months, I ended up taking the train down to Boston twice and found the Downeaster a much more enjoyable experience than trying to drive down to visit friends and explore the area.  There is just something about seeing the country fly by without having to pay the least attention to the road and being able to talk with a person face to face.  Not only that, it was usually uncrowded so I was able to relax and watch TV/movies on my iPhone with ease, making the trip fly by.  I always suspected it was more economical and environmentally friendly than driving too.

Now, Christian has taken the time to find out just how much cheaper taking the Downeaster train to Boston is compared to driving there.  Pretty compelling numbers.  As Kathryn lives up in Seattle, I have taken a couple train rides up there to visit her, and I was wondering about the economics of that train ride compared to driving.  So, here are the numbers…

Gasoline costs (175 miles each way at $4.15 a gallon):
$48.42 for a 30 MPG vehicle; $96.84 for a 15 MPG vehicle

Maintenance costs (source: AAA):
$13.93 for a small vehicle; $17.75 for a large vehicle

Total costs of gas and maintenance:
$62.35 for a fuel-efficient car; $114.59 for a large, less efficient vehicle

The trips between Portland and Seattle range from $28 to $44, typically, depending on which route (there are two) and the time of day, so the roundtrip cost is anywhere between $56 and $88.  My last two trips cost exactly $60 roundtrip.  The I-5 route has no tolls and I am ignoring Christian’s suggestion about lost wages as I am not working (nor was I likely to be working any time I took the train down to Boston either).

Still, right now even with a fuel efficient car, it is cheaper to take the train up to Seattle and back than drive by oneself.  If you are carpooling with a friend though, it is not cheaper unless you are using a car that gets less than 15 mpg.

– Posted: June 16, 2008, 12:39 pm
2 Responses to Train vs. Car for Taking a Trip from Portland to Seattle

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Don’t sell your time short, Paul, even if you’re not working. Think of it this way - if you had to be confined to a vehicle for three hours, how much would you pay to spend your confinement in a train, where you can enjoy more legroom, get up and walk around, and fiddle around on your iphone, instead of spending that confinement behind the steering wheel of a car, dealing with the stress of driving?

For me, the driving feels a lot more like work, and the riding feels like leisure. I personally wouldn’t take a menial job unless I got paid at least $15 an hour (although I do menial volunteer work all the time, but that work “pays” me in other ways). So for me, I’d say that the driving costs at least $45 in terms of the value of my time and comfort.

As a passenger, the costs of sitting in a car might be slightly less, but I’d still rather ride in a train than ride shotgun. Maybe the difference is only worth $15. Still, adding in the costs of comfort and stress bump up the costs of driving with two passengers to $120 for a fuel-efficient car, which is comparable to two round-trip train tickets.

By C Neal on June 17, 2008, 07:27 am

Yes, Christian, but I was trying to stick to cold, hard numbers in my short analysis.  Some people really enjoy driving.  The privacy of your own car, the music turned up loud, cruising down an interstate at 85 mph, no people (babies or children, especially) to disturb a passenger’s slumber.  My preference is for the train, yes, but it is not the preference for everyone.

By on June 17, 2008, 01:43 pm
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Paul is a roving vagabond that until recently was fully and responsibly employed as a CTO. Now he spends his days in the Pacific Northwest enjoying a well deserved Summer Vacation as he hikes, bikes, climbs, runs, swims, naps, and ponders his way towards an idyllic life.

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