Drive or Fly: Barlow, OH to Dayton, OH?

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 PKB–DAY. At 171 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 36m

Distance

171 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

2h 50m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barlow, OH → PKB 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Dayton, OH 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Barlow, OH PKB — Mid Ohio Valley Regional Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Dayton, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PKB and DAY. 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 44m

5h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barlow, OH → Charleston 109m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 302m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → Dayton, OH 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Charleston 73 mi, ~109m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 48 mi, ~73m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 43m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barlow, OH → Cambridge, OH (Shell Gas Station) (CMB6) 63m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Dayton, OH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From CMB6 — Cambridge, OH (Shell Gas Station) 42 mi, ~63m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 36m	2h 50m	8h 44m	5h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$33	$16
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	10 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, FlixBus 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Barlow, OH to Dayton, OH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.