Drive or Fly: Four Seasons, MO to Independence, 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 TBN–MCI. At 159 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 23m

Distance

159.1 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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

3h 51m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Four Seasons, MO → TBN 66m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Independence, MO 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Four Seasons, MO TBN — Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field 44 mi, ~66m drive

Independence, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 22 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TBN and MCI. 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

4h 24m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Four Seasons, MO → Jefferson City Amtrak Station 59m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Independence Amtrak Station → Independence, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Jefferson City Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m drive

To Independence Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m 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

4h 40m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Four Seasons, MO → Jefferson City (Conoco) (JFJ6) 58m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Independence, MO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From JFJ6 — Jefferson City (Conoco) 39 mi, ~58m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m 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	3h 23m	3h 51m	4h 24m	4h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$124	$25	$15
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	8 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

159.1 mi 3h 23m

via I 70; US 40, US 50; MO 5, US 65

Shortest (+1 min)

153.1 mi 3h 24m

via US 50; MO 135, US 50; MO 5, MO 52

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