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Drive or Fly: Franklin, TN to Bolivar, TN?

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 BNA–MKL. At 151 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 2m

Distance

151.9 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34
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 17m

15m in the air

Air Distance

128 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, TN → BNA 26m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 15m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKL → Bolivar, TN 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Franklin, TN BNA — Nashville International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive
Bolivar, TN MKL — McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BNA and MKL. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 34m

2h on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0135

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, TN → Nashville Bus Station (NAS6) 25m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 120m
Arrival 10m
Jackson (Mega Mart) (JXT6) → Bolivar, TN 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From NAS6 — Nashville Bus Station 17 mi, ~25m drive
To JXT6 — Jackson (Mega Mart) 29 mi, ~44m 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 3h 2m 3h 17m 3h 34m
Total cost (1 person) $69 $125 $13
Carbon footprint 61 kg CO2 33 kg CO2 7 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: 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
151.9 mi 3h 1m

via I 40, TN 18, TN 96

Alternative (+21 min)
161.1 mi 3h 23m

via US 64, US 412, US 64 Business

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Franklin, TN to Bolivar, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.