Drive or Fly: Florissant, MO to Rolla, MO?

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–TBN. At 110 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 12m

Distance

110.5 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 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 59m

12m in the air

Air Distance

98 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Florissant, MO → STL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TBN → Rolla, MO 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Florissant, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Rolla, MO TBN — Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and TBN. 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 49m

3h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Florissant, MO → Alton Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 217m

Arrival 10m

Jefferson City Amtrak Station → Rolla, MO 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Alton Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Jefferson City Amtrak Station 48 mi, ~73m 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	2h 12m	2h 59m	5h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$22
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	6 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Florissant, MO to Rolla, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.