-
The lowest price per hour is traveling by bus from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, at $2.36 per hour.
-
Flying from Los Angeles to Sacramento, will cost travelers $28.98 per hour, but will get them there in just over 3.2 hours.
-
When traveling from Los Angeles to Seattle a plane is on average 502.68% faster, however bus travel saves a total of 87.88% in terms of cost.
Berlin, Germany (August 30, 2018) – Time is money, and travelers could definitely make good use of either! Mobility provider FlixBus has identified the cost per hour, as well as cost per minute, of traveling either by bus or airplane to various destinations on the West Coast. The analysis also covers routes from and to Los Angeles and will help travelers to put a price tag on their time spent traveling.
Different travelers have different priorities, which has an impact on the type of transport chosen. While a business traveler might want to save on time at a larger cost, a travel-hacker or student may want to sacrifice a swift journey in exchange for more funds to afford additional fun activities upon arrival. But what exactly could travelers from Los Angeles gain from traveling to a number of destinations on the West Coast upon arrival, by choosing to travel either by airplane or bus? Based on the 2018 West Coast Travel Index, which FlixBus released earlier this year, the calculations of cost per hour and minute for either mode of transport have been compared with the costs in time and money related to each destination’s major attractions and activities the various groups of travelers might enjoy during their stay. FlixBus has listed multiple options that put saved funds, as well as time, into perspective.
“Today, travelers have the luxury of choosing between a wide variety of transportation methods. Choosing a method depends on what the customer needs for each specific trip” said André Schwämmlein, CEO of FlixBus. “This may mean taking a flight in order to save time or traveling by bus to be able to use Wi-Fi throughout the journey and save money which can then be used to enjoy activities at the final destination. We believe it’s valuable for travelers to have an overview of their possible choices to find which one best suits their needs.”
|
Bus |
Airplane |
|||||||
|
Route |
Cost ($) |
Travel Time (h) |
Cost ($/h) |
Cost ($/min) |
Cost ($) |
Travel Time (h) |
Cost ($/h) |
Cost ($/min) |
|
Los Angeles – Seattle |
$95.50 |
27:00 |
3.54 |
0.06 |
$130.73 |
4:48 |
29.18 |
0.49 |
|
Los Angeles – Las Vegas |
$12.25 |
5:18 |
2.36 |
0.04 |
$70.40 |
3:05 |
23.08 |
0.38 |
|
Los Angeles – Portland |
$115.50 |
22:30 |
5.18 |
0.09 |
$112.33 |
4:31 |
26.06 |
0.43 |
|
Los Angeles – Sacramento |
$29.50 |
9:30 |
3.17 |
0.05 |
$92.73 |
3:20 |
28.98 |
0.48 |
|
Los Angeles – San Diego |
$12.50 |
2:32 |
5.39 |
0.09 |
$121.73 |
2:35 |
51.80 |
0.86 |
N.B. This is a sample of the full results, which can be found at the bottom of this press release.
Los Angeles – Seattle
|
Money saved by taking the bus |
Time saved by taking the plane |
|
$35.23 |
22:12 hours |
-
Martial arts fans probably know that one of the most known martial arts actors, Bruce Lee, is buried in Seattle, around 45 min from the city center. With the 22:12 hours saved, travelers could watch up to 14 Bruce Lee films in a local cinema!
With the money saved by taking the bus, families could head to the world’s very first Starbucks Cafe, that was established in 1971 in Seattle and is now part of the city’s historical landmarks. With the $35.23 saved, visitors can enjoy up to 12 Tall Caffè Latte, priced at $2.95, which will definitely give families enough energy to explore the rest of the city, after a long ride!
-
Visitors who have chosen to travel by plane will have saved 22:12 hours, what better way to kill time and enjoy the sights by going around the Seattle Great Wheel 251 times!
Los Angeles – Las Vegas
|
Money saved by taking the bus |
Time saved by taking the plane |
|
$58.15 |
2:13 hours |
-
Students traveling from Los Angeles to Las Vegas by bus save a total of $58.15, meaning they could splash out and get married on the fly at the famous Drive-up Wedding Chapel, where the service is held at a drive-through window! With the actual ceremony going for $62.49, the potential newly-weds could contribute to the 316 weddings that take place in Las Vegas every day, and would only have to pay an additional $4.34 to say, “I do”!
Business travelers could use the time saved to relax after a tough day and experience the local entertainment industry with a lap dance in on of Las Vegas’ most famous strip clubs, the Palomino Club. Estimating that the club’s speciality, a 3 song-long lap dance, will take about 9 minutes, business travelers would have saved enough time to enjoy up to a total of 14 lap dances.
By choosing to travel by bus, visitors would save $58.15, which could be spent on one bite, or to be more specific, 1/13 of the $777 luxury burger at Le Burger Brasserie, made with kobe beef, lobster and 100 year old balsamic vinegar. That is one expensive nibble!
Las Vegas is home to the world’s biggest chocolate fountain, at the Bellagio Hotel. The record holding fountain is certified by Guinness World Records, being 27 feet tall and consisting of over 500 feet of pipes. The fountain circulates 2,100 pounds of chocolate every day, with the 2:13 hours spared by traveling to Las Vegas by plane, visitors could in theory consume 193 pounds of liquid chocolate during the extra time. If only they could get their hands on the fountain!
Los Angeles – Portland
|
Money saved by taking the plane |
Time saved by taking the plane |
|
$3.17 |
17:59 hours |
-
Business travelers who choose to fly to Portland in order to get to meetings on time, would have an extra 17:59 hours on their hands, which they could use to visit the vast International Rose Test Garden, which was built in case all roses in Europe were to be destroyed during WW1. It showcases an estimated 10,000 roses, encompassing 650 different varieties. By spending 18 hours in the garden, one would have enough time to spend 6.48 seconds looking at each flower in order to be able to observe them all!
Given that Portland is the city that has the most cyclists per capita in the entire country, why not enjoy the urban jungle by joining in and exploring it on a rental bike for just $3 a day?
Los Angeles – Sacramento
|
Money saved by taking the bus |
Time saved by taking the plane |
|
$63.23 |
6:10 hours |
-
With the $63.23 saved by taking the bus, students could enjoy the Sacramento Beer Train, priced at $64.56, which features a live band and a tasting of eight selected beers from Northern California breweries. Hence, visitors would actually only have to pay $1.33 thanks to their savings!
-
Travelers with time on their hands, could choose to go on an adventurous 6-hour rafting tour, splashing and paddling their way down the South Fork American River, Sacramento’s main source of drinking water!
Los Angeles – San Diego
|
Money saved by taking the bus |
Time saved by taking the bus |
|
$109.23 |
00:03 hours |
-
BrIt should be highlighted that traveling by bus from LA to San Diego saves visitors an unbelievable 3 minutes in total. What better way to spend these on one act at an open mic night at the Comedy Palace, where aspiring comedians each get 3 minutes on stage!
-
For travelers seeking an adrenaline rush, the $109.23 saved by traveling by bus could be spent by speeding across the bay on a jet ski for 2 hours, at $50 an hour! This will burn up to 486 calories, freeing up a few calories to spend the remaining $9.23 at the beach bar next door!
-
With the $109.23 saved per person by traveling San Diego on the bus, families would have ensured enough extra budget to stay overnight at Legoland, being priced at $104.
Find the full results of the time and cost comparison across all routes below:
|
Bus |
Airplane |
|||||||
|
Route |
Cost ($) |
Travel Time (h) |
Cost ($/h) |
Cost ($/min) |
Cost ($) |
Travel Time (h) |
Cost ($/h) |
Cost ($/min) |
|
Anaheim – Las Vegas |
$10.99 |
6:03 |
1.82 |
0.03 |
$120.40 |
5:42 |
22.21 |
0.37 |
|
Eugene – San Jose |
$103.50 |
15:09 |
6.86 |
0.11 |
$224.40 |
6:43 |
34.90 |
0.58 |
|
Eugene – Seattle |
$32.75 |
7:08 |
4.63 |
0.08 |
$68.20 |
3:02 |
22.58 |
0.38 |
|
LA – Portland |
$115.50 |
22:30 |
5.18 |
0.09 |
$11.33 |
4:31 |
26.06 |
0.43 |
|
LA – Sacramento |
$29.50 |
9:30 |
3.17 |
0.05 |
$92.73 |
3:20 |
28.98 |
0.48 |
|
LA – Seattle |
$95.50 |
27:00 |
3.54 |
0.06 |
$130.73 |
4:48 |
29.18 |
0.49 |
|
Las Vegas – Portland |
$109.50 |
28:11 |
3.90 |
0.06 |
$152.27 |
7:22 |
21.09 |
0.35 |
|
Las Vegas – San Francisco |
$40.50 |
17:20 |
2.35 |
0.04 |
$107.27 |
6:14 |
17.47 |
0.29 |
|
Las Vegas – Seattle |
$117.50 |
33:24 |
3.53 |
0.06 |
$158.40 |
7:50 |
21.12 |
0.35 |
|
Los Angeles – Las Vegas |
$12.25 |
5:18 |
2.36 |
0.04 |
$70.40 |
3:05 |
23.08 |
0.38 |
|
Los Angeles – Palm Springs |
– |
– |
– |
– |
$332.50 |
3:39 |
98.08 |
1.63 |
|
Los Angeles – San Diego |
$12.50 |
2:32 |
5.39 |
0.09 |
$121.73 |
2:35 |
51.80 |
0.86 |
|
Phoenix – Las Vegas |
$7.66 |
8:50 |
0.90 |
0.02 |
$105.93 |
4:32 |
24.52 |
0.41 |
|
Phoenix – Los Angeles |
$17.25 |
6:48 |
2.66 |
0.04 |
$79.40 |
3:02 |
26.29 |
0.44 |
|
Sacramento – Palm Springs |
– |
– |
– |
– |
$223.60 |
6:53 |
34.24 |
0.57 |
|
Sacramento – Portland |
$78.50 |
14:00 |
5.61 |
0.09 |
$154.60 |
6:44 |
24.01 |
0.40 |
|
San Diego – Las Vegas |
$17.25 |
8:26 |
2.09 |
0.03 |
$91.40 |
5:45 |
16.77 |
0.28 |
|
San Diego – Phoenix |
$27.50 |
8:06 |
3.41 |
0.06 |
$130.27 |
5:08 |
25.64 |
0.43 |
|
San Francisco – LA |
$21.33 |
8:30 |
2.57 |
0.04 |
$101.07 |
3:36 |
30.08 |
0.50 |
|
San Francisco – Phoenix |
$112.50 |
17:30 |
6.50 |
0.11 |
$143.27 |
4:56 |
31.42 |
0.52 |
|
San Francisco – Portland |
$94.50 |
22:18 |
4.26 |
0.07 |
$162.60 |
6:21 |
26.18 |
0.44 |
|
San Francisco – San Diego |
$48.50 |
12:30 |
3.94 |
0.07 |
$107.60 |
5:27 |
20.42 |
0.34 |
|
San Francisco – Seattle |
$94.50 |
22:12 |
4.27 |
0.07 |
$168.40 |
6:02 |
27.97 |
0.47 |
|
San Francisco- Palm Springs |
– |
– |
– |
– |
$177.60 |
5:35 |
33.20 |
0.55 |
|
San Jose – Portland |
$93.50 |
23:12 |
4.04 |
0.07 |
$105.40 |
7:42 |
14.20 |
0.24 |
|
Seattle – Phoenix |
$138.50 |
37:06 |
3.74 |
0.06 |
$158.73 |
5:26 |
30.18 |
0.50 |
|
Seattle – Portland |
$18.25 |
3:54 |
5.16 |
0.09 |
$63.20 |
2:50 |
25.28 |
0.42 |
|
Seattle – San Diego |
$131.50 |
31:03 |
4.24 |
0.07 |
$162.73 |
7:20 |
22.60 |
0.38 |
|
Tucson – LA |
$34.50 |
10:20 |
3.38 |
0.06 |
$101.73 |
4:29 |
23.71 |
0.40 |
|
Tucson – Phoenix |
$12.25 |
1:59 |
7.70 |
0.13 |
$145.00 |
2:28 |
63.60 |
1.06 |
|
Tucson – Sacramento |
$134.50 |
18:27 |
7.36 |
0.12 |
$159.60 |
6:18 |
25.83 |
0.43 |
|
Tucson – San Diego |
$65.50 |
13:21 |
4.96 |
0.08 |
$141.67 |
5:39 |
26.28 |
0.44 |
###
About FlixMobility
FlixMobility is a young mobility provider, offering new alternatives for convenient, affordable and environmentally-friendly travel via the FlixBus and FlixTrain brands. Thanks to a unique business model and innovative technology, the startup has quickly established Europe’s largest long-distance bus network and launched the first green long-distance trains in 2018 as well as a pilot project for all-electric buses in Germany and France. Since 2013, FlixMobility has changed the way over 100 million people have traveled throughout Europe and created thousands of new jobs in the mobility industry. In 2018, FlixMobility launched FlixBus USA to bring this new travel alternative to the United States.
From locations throughout Europe and the United States, the FlixTeam handles technology development, network planning, operations control, marketing & sales, quality management and continuous product expansion. The daily scheduled service and green FlixBus fleet is managed by bus partners from regional SMEs, while FlixTrain operates in cooperation with private train companies. Through these partnerships, innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and a strong international brand meet the experience and quality of tradition. The unique combination of technology start-up, e-commerce platform and classic transport company has positioned FlixMobility as a leader against major international corporations, permanently changing the European mobility landscape. Further company news and pictures can be found in the newsroom.
Methodology
Travel Cost
The average cost of travel for each respective route, across all 4 modes of transport. In order to calculate the average cost, the biggest transport providers on the West Coast were identified, with the 3 most popular being selected for the calculation of the travel cost.
To know the average cost for mode of transportation, we started by analyzing the biggest providers in the West Coast. Then, we focused on the 3 biggest travel companies (+ FlixBus for bus) and calculated the average cost per route for a single traveler. In order to keep costs consistent, all booking prices were calculated on the 22nd June for a travel date of the 24th July, and are all based on economy ticket prices.
Bus: The average price per route calculated based on following providers websites:
-
Greyhound (includes $2.50 booking fee)
-
Megabus (includes a $2.50 booking fee)
-
Boltbus (includes a $2.00 service fee)
-
FlixBus (includes a $2.00 service fee)
Flights: The flight costs are based on booking data found on each providers ticket purchase platform. Costs were retrieved on the 22th June for a travel date of 24th July with a flight time of around 12 pm. Furthermore, in addition to the cost of one ticket per person, the transport costs to the airport from the city center, and back to the city center from the airport upon arrival were also included. The following flight transport providers were selected, with cost data being retrieved from their respective booking platforms:
-
United Airlines
-
American Airlines
-
Delta Airlines
The cost from the airport- city center and city center- airport was estimated from the Uber fare estimator (e.g: Downtown Los Angeles – Los Angeles Airport costs $33 – Uber X option). After this cost estimation, Google maps was used to double check the route.
Travel Time
The total average time it takes from the start to the end point of travel, on each respective route, for each specific mode of transport. Calculated on the 22nd June for the 24th July, for consistent results. Travel time data sourced from each specific travel provider’s aforementioned booking websites. The providers researched for this factor are consistent with the providers used to calculate travel cost.
Cost per Hour
The total cost per hour for each mode of transport was calculated by dividing the total travel cost for each respective, sourced from the providers mentioned above, by the total travel time for that specific route.
