Drive or Fly: Marietta, OH to Springfield, OH?

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 PKB–DAY. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 15m

Distance

170.9 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 59m

16m in the air

Air Distance

130 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marietta, OH → PKB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Springfield, OH 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Marietta, OH PKB — Mid Ohio Valley Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Springfield, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PKB and DAY. 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

9h 17m

5h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marietta, OH → Charleston 112m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 302m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → Springfield, OH 103m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Charleston 75 mi, ~112m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 68 mi, ~103m 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 32m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marietta, OH → Cambridge, OH (Shell Gas Station) (CMB6) 62m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Springfield (Love's) (SIF6) → Springfield, OH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From CMB6 — Cambridge, OH (Shell Gas Station) 41 mi, ~62m drive

To SIF6 — Springfield (Love's) 5 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	3h 15m	2h 59m	9h 17m	4h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$33	$13
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	10 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Marietta, OH to Springfield, OH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.