Drive or Fly: Montgomery City, MO to Independence, MO?

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 COU–MCI. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 10m

Distance

166.9 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 51m

19m in the air

Air Distance

156 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montgomery City, MO → COU 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Independence, MO 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Montgomery City, MO COU — Columbia Regional Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

Independence, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 22 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between COU 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

4h 45m

3h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

9 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montgomery City, MO → Hermann 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 206m

Arrival 10m

Independence Amtrak Station → Independence, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Hermann 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Independence Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m 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 16m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montgomery City, MO → Warrenton (Phillips 66) (WRT6) 34m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City Bus Station (KCD6) → Independence, MO 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From WRT6 — Warrenton (Phillips 66) 22 mi, ~34m drive

To KCD6 — Kansas City Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m 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 10m	3h 51m	4h 45m	5h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$33	$20
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	11 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 Montgomery City, MO to Independence, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.