Drive or Fly: Bremen, IL to Charleston, IL?

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 BLV–CMI. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

166.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 13m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bremen, IL → BLV 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Charleston, IL 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Bremen, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

Charleston, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV and CMI. 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 20m

1h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bremen, IL → Du Quoin Amtrak Station 42m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 102m

Arrival 10m

Mattoon Amtrak Station → Charleston, IL 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Du Quoin Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~42m drive

To Mattoon Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m 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	3h 33m	4h 13m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$22
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	6 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 — 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

166.6 mi 3h 32m

via I 57, IL 127, IL 150

Alternative (+32 min)

180.1 mi 4h 5m

via US 50, US 45, I 57

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bremen, IL to Charleston, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.