Drive or Fly: City of Gary, IN to Franklin, 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 GYY–DAY. At 203 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 9m

Distance

203.2 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 47m

19m in the air

Air Distance

159 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Gary, IN → GYY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Franklin, IN 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

City of Gary, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Franklin, IN DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and DAY. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 7m

5h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Gary, IN → Dyer Amtrak (DYE) 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 337m

Arrival 10m

Connersville Amtrak (COI) → Franklin, IN 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From DYE — Dyer Amtrak 11 mi, ~16m drive

To COI — Connersville Amtrak 23 mi, ~34m 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

8h 49m

7h on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus N2642

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Gary, IN → Gary Bus Station (GRY6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 420m

Arrival 10m

Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Franklin, IN 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 50 mi, ~74m 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	4h 9m	3h 47m	7h 7m	8h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$181	$36	$22
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	12 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 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

203.2 mi 4h 9m

via I 65, US 36, I 69

Alternative (+31 min)

207.6 mi 4h 40m

via US 30; SR 2, US 31, I 69

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from City of Gary, IN to Franklin, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.