Drive or Fly: Russellville, AR to Hot Springs, AR?

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 HOT–HOT. At 72 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 26m

Distance

72.3 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 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 39m

6m in the air

Air Distance

54 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Russellville, AR → HOT 83m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOT → Hot Springs, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Russellville, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 55 mi, ~83m drive

Hot Springs, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOT and HOT. 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

3h 20m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Russellville, AR → Little Rock Union Station 90m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Malvern Amtrak → Hot Springs, AR 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Little Rock Union Station 60 mi, ~90m drive

To Malvern Amtrak 17 mi, ~25m 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

3h 32m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US1148S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Russellville, AR → Clarksville (CKS6) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) → Hot Springs, AR 49m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From CKS6 — Clarksville 22 mi, ~33m drive

To BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 33 mi, ~49m 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 26m	3h 39m	3h 20m	3h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$8	$9
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Russellville, AR to Hot Springs, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.