Drive or Fly: North Judson, IN to Portage, IN?

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 MGC–GYY. At 46 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 6m

Distance

46 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 14m

4m in the air

Air Distance

32 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Judson, IN → MGC 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → Portage, IN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

North Judson, IN MGC — Michigan City Municipal Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

Portage, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MGC and GYY. 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

2h 37m

49m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Judson, IN → Rensselaer Amtrak 41m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 49m

Arrival 10m

Dyer Amtrak → Portage, IN 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Rensselaer Amtrak 27 mi, ~41m drive

To Dyer Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m 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

1h 47m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0120S

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Judson, IN → Valparaiso (Valpo Village Station) (VPR6) 34m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Gary Bus Station (GRY6) → Portage, IN 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From VPR6 — Valparaiso (Valpo Village Station) 23 mi, ~34m drive

To GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 9 mi, ~13m 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	1h 6m	3h 14m	2h 37m	1h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$9	$2
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	1 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 North Judson, IN to Portage, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.