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Drive or Fly: Archie, MO to Castle Point, MO?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

Short enough to drive comfortably in a day. Airport overhead makes flying slower door-to-door. Available flights require a connection, adding time and cost.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 21m

Distance

270.4 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

109 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51
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 7m

27m in the air

Air Distance

222 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

57 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Archie, MO → MCI 90m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 27m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
STL → Castle Point, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Archie, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 60 mi, ~90m drive
Castle Point, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
Airport security and check-in overhead
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 43m

5h 4m on rail

Total Cost

$45

CO2

13 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Archie, MO → Lee'S Summit Amtrak (LEE) 45m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 304m
Arrival 10m
St. Louis (STL) → Castle Point, MO 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $45) $45

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

Stations

From LEE — Lee'S Summit Amtrak 30 mi, ~45m drive
To STL — St. Louis 10 mi, ~14m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 5h 21m 4h 7m 6h 43m
Total cost (1 person) $86 $184 $45
Carbon footprint 109 kg CO2 57 kg CO2 13 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent 100% on-time
Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices
Flight data: Statistical estimate
Airports: OurAirports
Transit: Amtrak 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Archie, MO to Castle Point, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.