Drive or Fly: Indian Heights, IN to Gary, 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 LAF–GYY. At 129 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 40m

Distance

129.3 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 26m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indian Heights, IN → LAF 64m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → Gary, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Indian Heights, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 43 mi, ~64m drive

Gary, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAF 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

3h 50m

1h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indian Heights, IN → Lafayette Amtrak Station 61m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 113m

Arrival 10m

Dyer Amtrak → Gary, IN 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 41 mi, ~61m drive

To Dyer Amtrak 10 mi, ~16m 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 44m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0120S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indian Heights, IN → Lebanon, IN (LBN6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Gary Bus Station (GRY6) → Gary, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From LBN6 — Lebanon, IN 32 mi, ~49m drive

To GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 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	2h 40m	3h 26m	3h 50m	4h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$16	$13
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	5 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.

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