Drive or Fly: Tama, IA to Ames, IA?

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 ALO–DSM. At 57 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

58m

Distance

57.3 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 1m

6m in the air

Air Distance

54 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tama, IA → ALO 63m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Ames, IA 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Tama, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 42 mi, ~63m drive

Ames, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 35 mi, ~52m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and DSM. 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 29m

1h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tama, IA → Ottumwa Amtrak Station 99m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 86m

Arrival 10m

Osceola Amtrak Station → Ames, IA 104m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Ottumwa Amtrak Station 66 mi, ~99m drive

To Osceola Amtrak Station 69 mi, ~104m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 37m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tama, IA → Grinnell (GIA6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Ames, IA 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From GIA6 — Grinnell 20 mi, ~30m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 28 mi, ~42m 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	58m	4h 1m	5h 29m	2h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$14	$5
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	14 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Tama, IA to Ames, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.