Drive or Fly: St. Louis, MO to Bernie, MO?

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 STL–CGI. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

176.9 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 41m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Louis, MO → STL 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CGI → Bernie, MO 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

St. Louis, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Bernie, MO CGI — Cape Girardeau Regional Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and CGI. 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 13m

3h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Louis, MO → St. Louis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 227m

Arrival 10m

Poplar Bluff Amtrak Station → Bernie, MO 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From St. Louis 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Poplar Bluff Amtrak Station 24 mi, ~36m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 55m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US1173

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Louis, MO → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Cape Girardeau (5CG) → Bernie, MO 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To 5CG — Cape Girardeau 50 mi, ~75m 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	3h 22m	3h 41m	5h 13m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$26	$11
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	6 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from St. Louis, MO to Bernie, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.