Drive or Fly: St. Louis, MO to Salem, 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–TBN. At 123 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 38m

Distance

123.8 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 22m

12m in the air

Air Distance

99 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Louis, MO → STL 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TBN → Salem, MO 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Salem, MO TBN — Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport-Forney Field 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and TBN. 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

4h 12m

2h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Louis, MO → St. Louis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 127m

Arrival 10m

Arcadia Valley Station → Salem, MO 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From St. Louis 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Arcadia Valley Station 50 mi, ~75m 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 23m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Washington (WAS6) → Salem, MO 103m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

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

To WAS6 — Washington 68 mi, ~103m 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	2h 38m	3h 22m	4h 12m	3h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$15	$5
Carbon footprint	50 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

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