Drive or Fly: Carmel, IN to New Chicago, 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 IND–GYY. At 148 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 49m

Distance

148.3 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 57m

15m in the air

Air Distance

125 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carmel, IN → IND 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → New Chicago, IN 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Carmel, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

New Chicago, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IND and GYY. 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

4h 51m

3h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carmel, IN → Indianapolis 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 209m

Arrival 10m

Dyer Amtrak → New Chicago, IN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Indianapolis 15 mi, ~23m drive

To Dyer Amtrak 13 mi, ~19m 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

4h 12m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2515

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carmel, IN → Indianapolis (E Washington St) (5IN) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

Gary Bus Station (GRY6) → New Chicago, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 5IN — Indianapolis (E Washington St) 15 mi, ~22m drive

To GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 5 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	2h 49m	2h 57m	4h 51m	4h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$28	$16
Carbon footprint	60 kg CO₂	32 kg CO₂	8 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 14, 2026.

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