Drive or Fly: East Saint Louis, IL to Decatur, 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 STL–DEC. At 114 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 24m

Distance

114.7 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 45m

13m in the air

Air Distance

106 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Saint Louis, IL → STL 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEC → Decatur, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

East Saint Louis, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and DEC. 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 42m

2h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Saint Louis, IL → St. Louis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 127m

Arrival 10m

Lincoln Amtrak Station → Decatur, IL 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From St. Louis 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Lincoln Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 18m

1h 48m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Saint Louis, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 108m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 37 mi, ~55m 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 45m	3h 42m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$23	$10
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	27 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 12, 2026.

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