Drive or Fly: West Lafayette, IN to North Madison, 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 LAF–CVG. At 154 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 23m

Distance

154.8 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 33m

17m in the air

Air Distance

140 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Lafayette, IN → LAF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CVG → North Madison, IN 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

West Lafayette, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

North Madison, IN CVG — Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAF and CVG. 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

7h 39m

5h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Lafayette, IN → Lafayette Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 331m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → North Madison, IN 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 52 mi, ~78m 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 52m

4h 15m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2512

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Lafayette, IN → Lafayette Bus Stop (LFY6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 255m

Arrival 10m

Louisville Bus Station (LUD6) → North Madison, IN 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From LFY6 — Lafayette Bus Stop 1 mi, ~10m drive

To LUD6 — Louisville Bus Station 41 mi, ~62m 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	3h 23m	3h 33m	7h 39m	5h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$126	$31	$18
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Lafayette, IN to North Madison, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.