Drive or Fly: Centerville, IA to Marion, IA?

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 IRK–CID. At 154 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

154.8 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 42m

13m in the air

Air Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centerville, IA → IRK 71m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CID → Marion, IA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Centerville, IA IRK — Kirksville Regional Airport 48 mi, ~71m drive

Marion, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IRK and CID. 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 5m

48m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centerville, IA → Ottumwa Amtrak Station 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 48m

Arrival 10m

Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station → Marion, IA 110m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Ottumwa Amtrak Station 31 mi, ~47m drive

To Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 73 mi, ~110m 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

3h 55m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Centerville, IA → Grinnell (GIA6) 101m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Marion, IA 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From GIA6 — Grinnell 67 mi, ~101m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 26 mi, ~39m 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	3h 27m	3h 42m	4h 5m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$124	$9	$7
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	4 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

154.8 mi 3h 27m

via I 80, US 63, I 380; US 218; IA 27

Alternative (+0 min)

157.4 mi 3h 27m

via IA 149, IA 2, I 380; US 218; IA 27

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Centerville, IA to Marion, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.