Drive or Fly: Greendale, IN to Bloomington, 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 CVG–IND. At 106 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 33m

Distance

106.2 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

43 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 28m

11m in the air

Air Distance

89 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Greendale, IN → CVG 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IND → Bloomington, IN 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Greendale, IN CVG — Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Bloomington, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CVG 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 48m

3h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Greendale, IN → Cincinnati Union Terminal 26m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 214m

Arrival 10m

Indianapolis → Bloomington, IN 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Cincinnati Union Terminal 18 mi, ~26m drive

To Indianapolis 46 mi, ~68m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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	2h 33m	3h 28m	5h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$20
Carbon footprint	43 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	6 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

106.2 mi 2h 32m

via SR 46, US 50, US 50; US 421

Alternative (+0 min)

111 mi 2h 32m

via SR 46, I 74, SR 1

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