Drive or Fly: Brookston, IN to Greenwood, IN?

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 LAF–IND. At 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 47m

Distance

87.1 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 49m

10m in the air

Air Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brookston, IN → LAF 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IND → Greenwood, IN 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Brookston, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Greenwood, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAF and IND. 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

3h 8m

1h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brookston, IN → Lafayette Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 113m

Arrival 10m

Indianapolis → Greenwood, IN 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Indianapolis 11 mi, ~16m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 20m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0100

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brookston, IN → Lafayette Bus Stop (LFY6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Indianapolis Bus Station (IND6) → Greenwood, IN 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From LFY6 — Lafayette Bus Stop 13 mi, ~19m drive

To IND6 — Indianapolis Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	1h 47m	2h 49m	3h 8m	2h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

87.1 mi 1h 46m

via I 65, I 465, SR 43

Alternative (+9 min)

95.4 mi 1h 56m

via I 65, I 465, I 69; I 465

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Brookston, IN to Greenwood, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.