Drive or Fly: Hot Springs, AR to Ashdown, AR?

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 HOT–TXK. At 119 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 15m

Distance

119.6 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 46m

10m in the air

Air Distance

84 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hot Springs, AR → HOT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TXK → Ashdown, AR 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Hot Springs, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Ashdown, AR TXK — Texarkana Regional Airport (Webb Field) 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOT and TXK. 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 27m

1h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hot Springs, AR → Malvern Amtrak 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Texarkana Amtrak Station → Ashdown, AR 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Malvern Amtrak 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Texarkana Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~27m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 53m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0135

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hot Springs, AR → Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Texarkana (Travel Stop) (TEX6) → Ashdown, AR 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 33 mi, ~49m drive

To TEX6 — Texarkana (Travel Stop) 19 mi, ~29m 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	2h 15m	2h 46m	3h 27m	3h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$123	$19	$14
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	7 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

119.6 mi 2h 15m

via I 30, AR 7, US 59; US 71

Shortest (+20 min)

106.1 mi 2h 35m

via US 70, US 59; US 71; US 371, US 70B

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hot Springs, AR to Ashdown, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.