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Drive or Fly: Rosiclare, IL to Chicago, IL?

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 PAH–MDW. At 360 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 5m

Distance

360 mi

Total Cost

$114

CO2

145 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$79
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 39m

37m in the air

Air Distance

308 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

79 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rosiclare, IL → PAH 52m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 37m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Rosiclare, IL PAH — Barkley Regional Airport 34 mi, ~52m drive
Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAH and MDW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 26m compared to driving
+ 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

7h 38m

5h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$60

CO2

17 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rosiclare, IL → Carbondale 78m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 330m
Arrival 10m
Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $60) $60

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

Stations

From Carbondale 52 mi, ~78m drive
To Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m 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

12h 12m

10h 55m on road

Total Cost

$37

CO2

20 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rosiclare, IL → Paducah Bus Station (PAD6) 42m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 655m
Arrival 10m
Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From PAD6 — Paducah Bus Station 28 mi, ~42m drive
To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 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 7h 5m 3h 39m 7h 38m 12h 12m
Total cost (1 person) $114 $187 $60 $37
Carbon footprint 145 kg CO2 79 kg CO2 17 kg CO2 20 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 Rosiclare, IL to Chicago, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.