Drive or Fly: Indiana, IA to Pleasantville, 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 DSM–DSM. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

22 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 36m

2m in the air

Air Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indiana, IA → DSM 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Pleasantville, IA 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Indiana, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

Pleasantville, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM 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

3h 50m

1h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indiana, IA → Ottumwa Amtrak Station 51m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 86m

Arrival 10m

Osceola Amtrak Station → Pleasantville, IA 53m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Ottumwa Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~51m drive

To Osceola Amtrak Station 35 mi, ~53m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 44m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0157S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indiana, IA → Oskaloosa (Precise Imaging) (OKO6) 31m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Monroe (Casey's General Store) (RNZ6) → Pleasantville, IA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From OKO6 — Oskaloosa (Precise Imaging) 20 mi, ~31m drive

To RNZ6 — Monroe (Casey's General Store) 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	29m	3h 36m	3h 50m	1h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$14	$3
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Indiana, IA to Pleasantville, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.