Drive or Fly: Decatur, IL to Granite City, 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 DEC–STL. At 113 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 24m

Distance

113.2 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 41m

12m in the air

Air Distance

101 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, IL → DEC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Granite City, IL 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Decatur, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Granite City, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 12 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DEC and STL. 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 59m

2h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, IL → Lincoln Amtrak Station 45m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 144m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Granite City, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Lincoln Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

To St. Louis 6 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 15m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, IL → Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) 55m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Granite City, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 37 mi, ~55m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 24m	2h 41m	3h 59m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$23	$10
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	5 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

113.2 mi 2h 24m

via IL 48, I 55, I 270

Alternative (+9 min)

127.8 mi 2h 34m

via I 70, US 51, US 51 Business

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