Drive or Fly: Soldier, KS to Atchison, 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 MHK–MCI. At 54 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

54 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 57m

5m in the air

Air Distance

45 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Soldier, KS → MHK 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Atchison, KS 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Soldier, KS MHK — Manhattan Regional Airport 47 mi, ~70m drive

Atchison, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MHK and MCI. 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

3h 5m

27m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Soldier, KS → Topeka Amtrak Station 56m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 27m

Arrival 10m

Lawrence Amtrak Station → Atchison, KS 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Topeka Amtrak Station 37 mi, ~56m drive

To Lawrence Amtrak Station 41 mi, ~62m 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

4h 23m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Soldier, KS → Topeka (BP To Go) (TKA6) 55m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center (KSC6) → Atchison, KS 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From TKA6 — Topeka (BP To Go) 37 mi, ~55m drive

To KSC6 — Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center 39 mi, ~58m 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	1h 25m	3h 57m	3h 5m	4h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$5	$6
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

54 mi 1h 25m

via KS 16, KS 116, US 59

Alternative (+6 min)

62.6 mi 1h 32m

via US 73, KS 9, KS 20

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