Drive or Fly: Bremen, IL to Petersburg, 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 BLV–SPI. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 42m

Distance

172 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

3h 39m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bremen, IL → BLV 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Petersburg, IL 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Petersburg, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV and SPI. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 2m

4h 20m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Petersburg, IL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 18 mi, ~27m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 42m	3h 39m	6h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$16
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	36 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: 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 13, 2026.

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