Drive or Fly: Marion, IA to Carroll, IA?

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 CID–FOD. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 36m

Distance

174.6 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 50m

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, IA → CID 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FOD → Carroll, IA 72m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Marion, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Carroll, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 48 mi, ~72m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CID and FOD. 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

7h 8m

2h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

9 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, IA → Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 110m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 166m

Arrival 10m

Creston Amtrak → Carroll, IA 112m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 73 mi, ~110m drive

To Creston Amtrak 74 mi, ~112m 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 7m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, IA → Iowa City (ICY6) 39m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Carroll, IA 108m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From ICY6 — Iowa City 26 mi, ~39m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 72 mi, ~108m 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 36m	3h 50m	7h 8m	5h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$127	$29	$12
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	6 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Marion, IA to Carroll, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.