Drive or Fly: Shawswick, IN to Portage, 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 IND–GYY. At 228 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 49m

Distance

228.3 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51
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 8m

23m in the air

Air Distance

189 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shawswick, IN → IND 86m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 23m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
GYY → Portage, IN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Shawswick, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 57 mi, ~86m drive
Portage, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IND and GYY. 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 9m

3h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

13 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shawswick, IN → Indianapolis 30m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 209m
Arrival 10m
Dyer Amtrak → Portage, IN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Indianapolis 0 mi, ~30m drive
To Dyer Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m 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 3h 49m 4h 8m 5h 9m
Total cost (1 person) $86 $183 $28
Carbon footprint 92 kg CO2 48 kg CO2 13 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 Shawswick, IN to Portage, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.