Drive or Fly: Scottsburg, IN to Terre Haute, IN?

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 SDF–CMI. At 155 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 30m

Distance

155.9 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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

4h 36m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Scottsburg, IN → SDF 53m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Terre Haute, IN 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Scottsburg, IN SDF — Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 36 mi, ~53m drive

Terre Haute, IN CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SDF and CMI. 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

8h 44m

5h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Scottsburg, IN → Cincinnati Union Terminal 109m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 302m

Arrival 10m

Crawfordsville Amtrak → Terre Haute, IN 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Cincinnati Union Terminal 73 mi, ~109m drive

To Crawfordsville Amtrak 48 mi, ~73m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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	2h 30m	4h 36m	8h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$124	$28
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	8 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Scottsburg, IN to Terre Haute, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.