Drive or Fly: Salina, KS to Riverside, 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–DDC. At 163 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 34m

Distance

163.1 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 22m

15m in the air

Air Distance

124 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salina, KS → SLN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DDC → Riverside, KS 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Riverside, KS DDC — Dodge City Regional Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SLN and DDC. 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

5h 32m

2h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

9 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salina, KS → Newton 85m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 148m

Arrival 10m

Dodge City Amtrak Station → Riverside, KS 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Newton 57 mi, ~85m drive

To Dodge City Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 34m	3h 22m	5h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$29
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	9 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Salina, KS to Riverside, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.