Drive or Fly: Hocking, OH to Dayton, OH?

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 PKB–DAY. At 128 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 47m

Distance

128.2 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 34m

13m in the air

Air Distance

106 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hocking, OH → PKB 66m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Dayton, OH 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Hocking, OH PKB — Mid Ohio Valley Regional Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

Dayton, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PKB and DAY. 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 54m

2h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hocking, OH → South Portsmouth Amtrak 87m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 154m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → Dayton, OH 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From South Portsmouth Amtrak 58 mi, ~87m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 48 mi, ~73m 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

4h 34m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hocking, OH → Columbus (E Mound St) (CUS6) 84m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Dayton, OH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From CUS6 — Columbus (E Mound St) 56 mi, ~84m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	2h 47m	3h 34m	5h 54m	4h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$18	$8
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	27 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

128.2 mi 2h 47m

via US 35, US 50, SR 278

Alternative (+3 min)

137.5 mi 2h 50m

via I 70, US 33, SR 4

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hocking, OH to Dayton, OH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.