Drive or Fly: Lyons, CO to Colorado Springs, CO?

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 BJC–COS. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 17m

Distance

112.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 57m

12m in the air

Air Distance

99 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lyons, CO → BJC 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

COS → Colorado Springs, CO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Lyons, CO BJC — Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

Colorado Springs, CO COS — City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BJC and COS. 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

6h 7m

2h 59m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lyons, CO → Winter Park/Fraser 52m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 179m

Arrival 10m

Denver → Colorado Springs, CO 96m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Winter Park/Fraser 35 mi, ~52m drive

To Denver 64 mi, ~96m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 17m	2h 57m	6h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$9
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	3 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 — 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lyons, CO to Colorado Springs, CO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.