Drive or Fly: Carthage, TX to Houston, TX?

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 GGG–HOU. At 191 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 37m

Distance

191 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 16m

21m in the air

Air Distance

176 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carthage, TX → GGG 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOU → Houston, TX 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Carthage, TX GGG — East Texas Regional Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

Houston, TX HOU — William P. Hobby Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GGG and HOU. 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

6h 31m

5h on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carthage, TX → Marshall Amtrak Station 41m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Houston → Houston, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From Marshall Amtrak Station 27 mi, ~41m drive

To Houston 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 37m	3h 16m	6h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$40
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	45 kg CO₂	12 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 — 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Carthage, TX to Houston, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.