Drive or Fly: Saint Marys, KS to Salina, KS?

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 MHK–SLN. At 99 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 37m

Distance

99.8 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 8m

10m in the air

Air Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, KS → MHK 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SLN → Salina, KS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Saint Marys, KS MHK — Manhattan Regional Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Salina, KS SLN — Salina Municipal Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MHK and SLN. 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

4h 53m

2h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, KS → Topeka Amtrak Station 36m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 132m

Arrival 10m

Newton → Salina, KS 85m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Topeka Amtrak Station 24 mi, ~36m drive

To Newton 57 mi, ~85m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 20m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, KS → Topeka (BP To Go) (TKA6) 35m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Salina (Super 8) (SKS6) → Salina, KS 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From TKA6 — Topeka (BP To Go) 24 mi, ~35m drive

To SKS6 — Salina (Super 8) 4 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	1h 37m	3h 8m	4h 53m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$23	$12
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	6 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 Saint Marys, KS to Salina, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.