Drive or Fly: Marion, KS to Shawnee, KS?

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 SLN–MCI. At 150 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 25m

Distance

150.7 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 52m

16m in the air

Air Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, KS → SLN 69m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Shawnee, KS 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Marion, KS SLN — Salina Municipal Airport 46 mi, ~69m drive

Shawnee, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLN and MCI. 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 3m

4h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, KS → Newton 41m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 270m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Shawnee, KS 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Newton 27 mi, ~41m drive

To Kansas City 8 mi, ~12m 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

6h 26m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, KS → Salina (Super 8) (SKS6) 66m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center (KSC6) → Shawnee, KS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From SKS6 — Salina (Super 8) 44 mi, ~66m drive

To KSC6 — Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center 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	2h 25m	3h 52m	6h 3m	6h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$33	$18
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	9 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 Marion, KS to Shawnee, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.