Drive or Fly: Martin, TN to Memphis, TN?

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 PAH–MEM. At 137 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 44m

Distance

137.3 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

55 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 41m

13m in the air

Air Distance

106 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Martin, TN → PAH 75m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MEM → Memphis, TN 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Martin, TN PAH — Barkley Regional Airport 50 mi, ~75m drive

Memphis, TN MEM — Memphis International Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAH and MEM. 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

3h 56m

2h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Martin, TN → Fulton Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 167m

Arrival 10m

Memphis → Memphis, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Fulton Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Memphis 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 18m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Martin, TN → Jackson (Mega Mart) (JXT6) 73m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Memphis Bus Station (MEM6) → Memphis, TN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From JXT6 — Jackson (Mega Mart) 49 mi, ~73m drive

To MEM6 — Memphis Bus Station 7 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 44m	3h 41m	3h 56m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$23	$9
Carbon footprint	55 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Martin, TN to Memphis, TN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.