Drive or Fly: Terre Haute, IN to Richmond, IN?

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 CMI–DAY. At 149 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 57m

Distance

149.2 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 41m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → CMI 91m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Richmond, IN 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Terre Haute, IN CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

Richmond, IN DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and DAY. 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 21m

3h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → Crawfordsville Amtrak 73m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 181m

Arrival 10m

Connersville Amtrak → Richmond, IN 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Crawfordsville Amtrak 48 mi, ~73m drive

To Connersville Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 42m

4h 18m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → Terre Haute Greyhound Station (THA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 258m

Arrival 10m

Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Richmond, IN 49m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From THA6 — Terre Haute Greyhound Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 32 mi, ~49m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 57m	4h 41m	5h 21m	5h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$20	$19
Carbon footprint	60 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	6 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Terre Haute, IN to Richmond, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.