Drive or Fly: Franklin, IN to City of Gary, 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 DAY–GYY. At 202 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 7m

Distance

202.8 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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

Franklin, IN → DAY 78m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → City of Gary, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAY and GYY. 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 8m

5h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, IN → Connersville Amtrak (COI) 34m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 338m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From COI — Connersville Amtrak 23 mi, ~34m drive

To DYE — Dyer Amtrak 11 mi, ~16m 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

8h 29m

6h 40m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

12 kg

Route

FlixBus N2642

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 400m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 50 mi, ~74m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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 7m	3h 47m	7h 8m	8h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$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 Oct 23, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

202.8 mi 4h 7m

via I 65, US 36, I 69

Alternative (+33 min)

207.4 mi 4h 40m

via US 35, US 30, US 31

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