Drive or Fly: Saint Rose, 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 BLV–MDW. At 261 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 5m

Distance

261 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

105 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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 14m

27m in the air

Air Distance

224 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

57 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Rose, IL → BLV 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Markham, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Saint Rose, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV 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 15m

3h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$45

CO2

13 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Rose, IL → Centralia Amtrak Station 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 227m

Arrival 10m

Homewood → Markham, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $45) $45

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

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~38m 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

7h 40m

6h 8m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Rose, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 53m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 368m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 35 mi, ~53m drive

To CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 5m	3h 14m	5h 15m	7h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$184	$45	$28
Carbon footprint	105 kg CO₂	57 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	15 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 15, 2026.

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