Drive or Fly: Cedar Rapids, IA to Guthrie Center, IA?

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 CID–DSM. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 30m

Distance

166.2 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 39m

18m in the air

Air Distance

149 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedar Rapids, IA → CID 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Guthrie Center, IA 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Cedar Rapids, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Guthrie Center, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 45 mi, ~67m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CID and DSM. 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

4h 26m

2h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

10 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedar Rapids, IA → Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station (MTP) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 166m

Arrival 10m

Creston Amtrak (CRN) → Guthrie Center, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From MTP — Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To CRN — Creston Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 45m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedar Rapids, IA → Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) (CDA6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Guthrie Center, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From CDA6 — Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	3h 30m	3h 39m	4h 26m	3h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$126	$29	$12
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	38 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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 Jul 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

166.2 mi 3h 30m

via US 30, IA 330, IA 44

Alternative (+1 min)

175.9 mi 3h 31m

via I 80, IA 44, I 380; IA 27

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Cedar Rapids, IA to Guthrie Center, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.