Drive or Fly: Portage, IN to Eel River, 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 GYY–IND. At 181 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 3m

Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 56m

19m in the air

Air Distance

156 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portage, IN → GYY 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IND → Eel River, IN 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Eel River, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and IND. 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 36m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portage, IN → Dyer Amtrak 27m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 156m

Arrival 10m

Crawfordsville Amtrak → Eel River, IN 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Dyer Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m drive

To Crawfordsville Amtrak 51 mi, ~77m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 3m	3h 56m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$21
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	6 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 — 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 Portage, IN to Eel River, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.