Drive or Fly: Taylorville, IL to Chicago, IL?

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 SPI–MDW. At 210 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

210.2 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

85 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 15m

22m in the air

Air Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Taylorville, IL → SPI 43m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Taylorville, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SPI and MDW. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 43m

3h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Taylorville, IL → Springfield 39m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 194m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Springfield 26 mi, ~39m drive

To Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m 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

5h 23m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

Taylorville, IL → Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) 38m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 250m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 25 mi, ~38m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m 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 59m	3h 15m	4h 43m	5h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	85 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

210.2 mi 3h 58m

via I 57, I 72, IL 48

Alternative (+11 min)

211.6 mi 4h 10m

via US 51, IL 48, I 55

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Taylorville, IL to Chicago, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.