Drive or Fly: Potosi, MO to St. Louis, 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–STL. At 70 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 21m

Distance

70.3 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

28 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 57m

7m in the air

Air Distance

57 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Potosi, MO → STL 91m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → St. Louis, MO 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Potosi, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

St. Louis, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and STL. 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 34m

3h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Potosi, MO → Arcadia Valley Station 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 186m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → St. Louis, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Arcadia Valley Station 25 mi, ~38m drive

To St. Louis 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 51m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Potosi, MO → Washington (WAS6) 66m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → St. Louis, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From WAS6 — Washington 44 mi, ~66m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m 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 21m	3h 57m	4h 34m	2h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$15	$5
Carbon footprint	28 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

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