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Drive or Fly: Royalton, 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 MWA–MDW. At 315 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 57m

Distance

315.2 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

127 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70
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

2h 59m

34m in the air

Air Distance

285 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royalton, IL → MWA 15m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 34m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Royalton, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 10 mi, ~15m drive
Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 58m 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

6h 16m

5h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royalton, IL → Du Quoin Amtrak Station 17m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 309m
Arrival 10m
Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

From Du Quoin Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~17m 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

10h 23m

9h 30m on road

Total Cost

$33

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royalton, IL → Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) 18m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 570m
Arrival 10m
Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 12 mi, ~18m 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 5h 57m 2h 59m 6h 16m 10h 23m
Total cost (1 person) $105 $186 $56 $33
Carbon footprint 127 kg CO2 73 kg CO2 16 kg CO2 17 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Royalton, IL to Chicago, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.