Drive or Fly: Gary, IN to Beech Grove, IN?

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 GYY–IND. At 157 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 3m

Distance

157 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

63 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

2h 43m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gary, IN → GYY 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 17m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
IND → Beech Grove, IN 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Gary, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive
Beech Grove, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and IND. 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 1m

3h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gary, IN → Dyer Amtrak 16m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 235m
Arrival 10m
Indianapolis → Beech Grove, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Dyer Amtrak 10 mi, ~16m drive
To Indianapolis 5 mi, ~10m 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

4h

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2515

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gary, IN → Gary Bus Station (GRY6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 195m
Arrival 10m
Indianapolis (E Washington St) (5IN) → Beech Grove, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive
To 5IN — Indianapolis (E Washington St) 5 mi, ~10m 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 3m 2h 43m 5h 1m 4h
Total cost (1 person) $70 $126 $28 $16
Carbon footprint 63 kg CO2 37 kg CO2 8 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Gary, IN to Beech Grove, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.