Drive or Fly: O'Fallon, MO to Oakland, 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–TBN. At 160 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 20m

Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 19m

16m in the air

Air Distance

129 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

O'Fallon, MO → STL 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TBN → Oakland, MO 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

O'Fallon, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Oakland, MO TBN — Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and TBN. 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 53m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

O'Fallon, MO → Kirkwood Amtrak Station 34m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

Jefferson City Amtrak Station → Oakland, MO 103m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Kirkwood Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~34m drive

To Jefferson City Amtrak Station 68 mi, ~103m 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 48m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

O'Fallon, MO → Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Springfield CU Transit Center (SPR6) → Oakland, MO 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To SPR6 — Springfield CU Transit Center 50 mi, ~75m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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 20m	3h 19m	4h 53m	5h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$19	$21
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	6 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

160 mi 3h 20m

via I 44; US 50, MO 100, MO N

Alternative (+29 min)

191.1 mi 3h 49m

via US 54, I 70, MO 5; MO 7

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from O'Fallon, MO to Oakland, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.