Drive or Fly: Lafayette, IN to North Vernon, 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–CVG. At 130 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

130.5 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 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 41m

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lafayette, IN → LAF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CVG → North Vernon, IN 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Lafayette, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

North Vernon, IN CVG — Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport 51 mi, ~77m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAF and CVG. 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 15m

3h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

8 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lafayette, IN → Lafayette Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 215m

Arrival 10m

Connersville Amtrak → North Vernon, IN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Connersville Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m 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 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lafayette, IN → Lafayette Bus Stop (LFY6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Bloomington (IN) (BMNN) → North Vernon, IN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From LFY6 — Lafayette Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To BMNN — Bloomington (IN) 0 mi, ~30m 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 43m	3h 41m	5h 15m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125	$22	$10
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	8 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lafayette, IN to North Vernon, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.