Drive or Fly: Salina, KS to Auburn, 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 SLN–MHK. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 7m

Distance

112.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 35m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salina, KS → SLN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MHK → Auburn, KS 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Auburn, KS MHK — Manhattan Regional Airport 49 mi, ~73m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLN and MHK. 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 47m

2h 23m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salina, KS → Newton 85m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 143m

Arrival 10m

Topeka Amtrak Station → Auburn, KS 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Newton 57 mi, ~85m drive

To Topeka Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 54m

2h on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US1200

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Topeka (BP To Go) (TKA6) → Auburn, KS 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From SKS6 — Salina (Super 8) 4 mi, ~10m drive

To TKA6 — Topeka (BP To Go) 13 mi, ~19m 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	2h 7m	3h 35m	4h 47m	2h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$23	$12
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	25 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 Salina, KS to Auburn, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.