Drive or Fly: Tonganoxie, KS to Fairmount, KS?

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 MCI–MCI. At 13 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

22m

Distance

13.8 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

6 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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

2h 58m

1m in the air

Air Distance

10 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tonganoxie, KS → MCI 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCI → Fairmount, KS 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Tonganoxie, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Fairmount, KS MCI — Kansas City International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCI and MCI. 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

3h 3m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tonganoxie, KS → Lawrence Amtrak Station 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City → Fairmount, KS 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Lawrence Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Kansas City 20 mi, ~30m 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

2h 33m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tonganoxie, KS → Lawrence Bus Stop (LWR6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center (KSC6) → Fairmount, KS 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From LWR6 — Lawrence Bus Stop 14 mi, ~21m drive

To KSC6 — Kansas City 47Th St Transit Center 14 mi, ~22m 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	22m	2h 58m	3h 3m	2h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$7	$4
Carbon footprint	6 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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

13.8 mi 21m

via US 24; US 40, North 155th Street

Shortest (+2 min)

11.6 mi 23m

via CR-30, Fairmount Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Tonganoxie, KS to Fairmount, KS with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.