Drive or Fly: Blue Ridge, IL to Bremen, IL?

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 CMI–BLV. At 230 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 35m

Distance

230 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51

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 50m

21m in the air

Air Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Ridge, IL → CMI 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Bremen, IL 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Blue Ridge, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Bremen, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and BLV. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 15m

2h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Saluki

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Ridge, IL → Champaign-Urbana 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 148m

Arrival 10m

Du Quoin Amtrak Station → Bremen, IL 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Champaign-Urbana 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Du Quoin Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~42m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 25m

5h 45m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Ridge, IL → Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 345m

Arrival 10m

Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) → Bremen, IL 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 17 mi, ~25m drive

To CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 34 mi, ~50m 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	4h 35m	3h 50m	4h 15m	7h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$86	$182	$31	$19
Carbon footprint	93 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	10 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

230 mi 4h 35m

via I 57, I 64, IL 127

Shortest (+18 min)

227 mi 4h 53m

via US 51, I 72, IL 127

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Blue Ridge, IL to Bremen, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.