Drive or Fly: Hebron, IN to West Lafayette, 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–LAF. At 74 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 28m

Distance

74.8 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

30 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 53m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hebron, IN → GYY 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAF → West Lafayette, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Hebron, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

West Lafayette, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and LAF. 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

3h 24m

2h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hebron, IN → Dyer Amtrak 32m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 122m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Amtrak Station → West Lafayette, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Dyer Amtrak 21 mi, ~32m drive

To Lafayette Amtrak Station 1 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

2h 18m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2640

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hebron, IN → Merrillville (Southlake Mall) (MRLL) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Bus Stop (LFY6) → West Lafayette, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From MRLL — Merrillville (Southlake Mall) 12 mi, ~18m drive

To LFY6 — Lafayette Bus Stop 1 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	1h 28m	2h 53m	3h 24m	2h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$16	$8
Carbon footprint	30 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	4 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 Hebron, IN to West Lafayette, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.