Drive or Fly: Chicago, IL to Richmond, 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 MDW–BMI. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 23m

Distance

162.9 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 4m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BMI → Richmond, IL 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Richmond, IL BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal 25 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and BMI. 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 47m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Lincoln Amtrak Station → Richmond, IL 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Lincoln Amtrak Station 15 mi, ~22m 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

6h 4m

4h 55m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 295m

Arrival 10m

Bloomington (BLL6) → Richmond, IL 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To BLL6 — Bloomington 23 mi, ~34m 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 23m	3h 4m	3h 47m	6h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$30	$13
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	7 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 15, 2026.

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