Drive or Fly: Royalton, IL to Markham, 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 295 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 37m

Distance

295.8 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

120 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 7m

32m in the air

Air Distance

268 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royalton, IL → MWA 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Markham, IL 20m

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

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA and MDW. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 26m

4h 19m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royalton, IL → Du Quoin Amtrak Station 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 259m

Arrival 10m

Homewood → Markham, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Du Quoin Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~17m drive

To Homewood 3 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

9h 52m

8h 55m on road

Total Cost

$32

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royalton, IL → Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 535m

Arrival 10m

Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) → Markham, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

To CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m 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	4h 37m	3h 7m	5h 26m	9h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$186	$52	$32
Carbon footprint	120 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	15 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 16, 2026.

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