Drive or Fly: Wentzville, MO to Festus, 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–STL. At 61 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 16m

Distance

61.4 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 41m

6m in the air

Air Distance

48 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wentzville, MO → STL 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Festus, MO 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Wentzville, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 26 mi, ~40m drive

Festus, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and STL. 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

2h 30m

44m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wentzville, MO → Washington Amtrak Station 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 44m

Arrival 10m

Kirkwood Amtrak Station → Festus, MO 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Washington Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Kirkwood Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~37m 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

3h 18m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wentzville, MO → Warrenton (Phillips 66) (WRT6) 23m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Festus, MO 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From WRT6 — Warrenton (Phillips 66) 15 mi, ~23m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 30 mi, ~45m 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	1h 16m	3h 41m	2h 30m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$7	$6
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 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 Wentzville, MO to Festus, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.