Drive or Fly: Coo n Rapids, IA to Indiana, 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 FOD–DSM. At 117 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 31m

Distance

117.2 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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

4h 32m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coo n Rapids, IA → FOD 80m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Indiana, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Coo n Rapids, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 53 mi, ~80m drive

Indiana, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FOD and DSM. 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

5h 5m

2h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coo n Rapids, IA → Creston Amtrak 88m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 126m

Arrival 10m

Ottumwa Amtrak Station → Indiana, IA 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Creston Amtrak 59 mi, ~88m drive

To Ottumwa Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~51m 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 44m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coo n Rapids, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 88m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Grinnell (GIA6) → Indiana, IA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 58 mi, ~88m drive

To GIA6 — Grinnell 38 mi, ~56m 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 31m	4h 32m	5h 5m	3h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$20	$5
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

117.2 mi 2h 31m

via IA 141, IA 5, IA 5; IA 92

Alternative (+9 min)

121.1 mi 2h 40m

via IA 141, IA 5, US 65

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Coo n Rapids, IA to Indiana, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.