Drive or Fly: Oakville, MO to Polk, 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 STL–SGF. At 200 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 2m

Distance

200.1 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 40m

20m in the air

Air Distance

171 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakville, MO → STL 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SGF → Polk, MO 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Oakville, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

Polk, MO SGF — Springfield Branson National Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and SGF. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 39m

3h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakville, MO → Kirkwood Amtrak Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 183m

Arrival 10m

Sedalia Amtrak Station → Polk, MO 102m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Kirkwood Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Sedalia Amtrak Station 68 mi, ~102m 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 40m

4h 3m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakville, MO → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 243m

Arrival 10m

Springfield CU Transit Center (SPR6) → Polk, MO 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

To SPR6 — Springfield CU Transit Center 36 mi, ~54m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− 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	4h 2m	3h 40m	5h 39m	5h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$182	$31	$21
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	44 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Oakville, MO to Polk, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.