Drive or Fly: Rossville, IN to Terre Haute, 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 LAF–CMI. At 116 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 3m

Distance

116.6 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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

4h 7m

9m in the air

Air Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rossville, IN → LAF 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Terre Haute, IN 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Rossville, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Terre Haute, IN CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAF and CMI. 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 51m

34m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rossville, IN → Lafayette Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 34m

Arrival 10m

Crawfordsville Amtrak → Terre Haute, IN 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Crawfordsville Amtrak 48 mi, ~73m 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	2h 3m	4h 7m	2h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$123	$5
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	2 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rossville, IN to Terre Haute, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.