Drive or Fly: South Canal, OH to Lorain, OH?

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 CAK–CLE. At 75 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 30m

Distance

75.9 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 19m

8m in the air

Air Distance

65 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Canal, OH → CAK 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CLE → Lorain, OH 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

South Canal, OH CAK — Akron Canton Regional Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

Lorain, OH CLE — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport 18 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CAK and CLE. 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 9m

1h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Canal, OH → Alliance Amtrak 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Elyria Amtrak → Lorain, OH 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Alliance Amtrak 19 mi, ~28m drive

To Elyria Amtrak 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 57m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0164

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Canal, OH → Youngstown Bus Stop (YGS6) 27m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 177m

Arrival 10m

Lorain County Transportation & CS (ERY6) → Lorain, OH 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From YGS6 — Youngstown Bus Stop 18 mi, ~27m drive

To ERY6 — Lorain County Transportation & CS 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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 30m	3h 19m	3h 9m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$12	$9
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

75.9 mi 1h 30m

via I 80

Alternative (+14 min)

82.6 mi 1h 45m

via I 80, I 480, I 480; SR 14

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from South Canal, OH to Lorain, OH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.