Drive or Fly: Lee's Summit, MO to Riverside, MO?

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 MCI–STL. At 260 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 3m

Distance

260.3 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

105 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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

4h 2m

26m in the air

Air Distance

220 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → MCI 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Riverside, MO 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lee's Summit, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Riverside, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and STL. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 52m

4h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

12 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → Lee'S Summit Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 271m

Arrival 10m

Kirkwood Amtrak Station → Riverside, MO 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Lee'S Summit Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Kirkwood Amtrak Station 20 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 28m

4h on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

Greyhound US0136

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lee's Summit, MO → Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 240m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Riverside, MO 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 16 mi, ~25m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 25 mi, ~38m 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	5h 3m	4h 2m	5h 52m	5h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$184	$43	$26
Carbon footprint	105 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	14 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

260.3 mi 5h 3m

via I 70; US 40, I 70, I 64; US 40; US 61

Shortest (+24 min)

253.5 mi 5h 27m

via US 50, MO MM, MO 291

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lee's Summit, MO to Riverside, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.