Drive or Fly: Gary, IN to Martinsville, 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 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 26m

Distance

178.4 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 1m

19m in the air

Air Distance

157 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gary, IN → GYY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IND → Martinsville, IN 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Gary, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Martinsville, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 21 mi, ~32m 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 32m

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 → Martinsville, IN 41m

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 27 mi, ~41m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 26m	3h 1m	5h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$28
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	40 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 — 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

178.4 mi 3h 26m

via I 65, I 69, I 465

Shortest (+21 min)

175 mi 3h 48m

via I 65, I 74, US 52; US 231

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