Drive or Fly: Frankston, TX to Montopolis, TX?

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 TYR–AUS. At 200 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

200.4 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 5m

22m in the air

Air Distance

180 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frankston, TX → TYR 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUS → Montopolis, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Frankston, TX TYR — Tyler Pounds Regional Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Montopolis, TX AUS — Austin Bergstrom International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TYR and AUS. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

11h 8m

9h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

12 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frankston, TX → Mineola 63m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 555m

Arrival 10m

Austin → Montopolis, TX 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Mineola 42 mi, ~63m drive

To Austin 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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	3h 59m	3h 5m	11h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$182	$43
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	12 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

200.4 mi 3h 58m

via US 79, US 79; US 190, TX 155

Alternative (+5 min)

221.6 mi 4h 4m

via I 35, TX 31, US 175

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Frankston, TX to Montopolis, TX with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.