Drive or Fly: Saint James, MO to Saint Peters, MO?

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 TBN–STL. At 92 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

92.4 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 21m

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint James, MO → TBN 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Saint Peters, MO 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Saint James, MO TBN — Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field 34 mi, ~51m drive

Saint Peters, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TBN and STL. 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 35m

1h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint James, MO → Hermann 75m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 71m

Arrival 10m

Kirkwood Amtrak Station → Saint Peters, MO 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Hermann 50 mi, ~75m drive

To Kirkwood Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 58m	3h 21m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$11
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	3 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

92.4 mi 1h 57m

via I 44, MO 100, Mid Rivers Mall Drive

Alternative (+3 min)

100.9 mi 2h 0m

via I 44, MO 141, MO 364

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint James, MO to Saint Peters, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.