Drive or Fly: Hartford City, IN to Portage, 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 FWA–GYY. At 156 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

156.7 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 30m

15m in the air

Air Distance

122 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartford City, IN → FWA 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → Portage, IN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Hartford City, IN FWA — Fort Wayne International Airport 38 mi, ~56m drive

Portage, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FWA and GYY. 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

8h 11m

5h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartford City, IN → Connersville Amtrak 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 338m

Arrival 10m

Dyer Amtrak → Portage, IN 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Connersville Amtrak 57 mi, ~86m drive

To Dyer Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 27m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2515

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartford City, IN → Indianapolis (E Washington St) (5IN) 94m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

Gary Bus Station (GRY6) → Portage, IN 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 5IN — Indianapolis (E Washington St) 63 mi, ~94m drive

To GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 9 mi, ~13m 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 32m	3h 30m	8h 11m	5h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$36	$16
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	10 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 13, 2026.

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