Drive or Fly: Colorado Springs, CO to Montrose, CO?

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 COS–MTJ. At 236 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 33m

Distance

236.4 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

96 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 40m

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colorado Springs, CO → COS 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MTJ → Montrose, CO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Colorado Springs, CO COS — City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Montrose, CO MTJ — Montrose Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between COS and MTJ. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 53m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

11h 23m

7h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colorado Springs, CO → Denver 96m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 464m

Arrival 10m

Grand Junction Amtrak Station → Montrose, CO 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Denver 64 mi, ~96m drive

To Grand Junction Amtrak Station 55 mi, ~83m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 33m	2h 40m	11h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$182	$39
Carbon footprint	96 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	11 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

236.4 mi 5h 32m

via US 50, US 24; CO 67, US 285

Shortest (+15 min)

230.4 mi 5h 48m

via US 50, CO 115, CR 123

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Colorado Springs, CO to Montrose, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.