Drive or Fly: Leesville, MO to St. Louis, MO?

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 SGF–STL. At 218 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 38m

Distance

218 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

88 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48

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 36m

22m in the air

Air Distance

182 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leesville, MO → SGF 115m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → St. Louis, MO 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Leesville, MO SGF — Springfield Branson National Airport 77 mi, ~115m drive

St. Louis, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SGF and STL. 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

5h 31m

3h 51m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

13 kg

Route

Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leesville, MO → Sedalia Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 231m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → St. Louis, MO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Sedalia Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To St. Louis 0 mi, ~30m 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

6h 30m

5h 5m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leesville, MO → La Monte (BP) (LMO6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 305m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → St. Louis, MO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From LMO6 — La Monte (BP) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	4h 38m	4h 36m	5h 31m	6h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$83	$182	$33	$19
Carbon footprint	88 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	13 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

218 mi 4h 38m

via I 70; US 40, MO C, US 54

Alternative (+0 min)

228.2 mi 4h 38m

via I 70; US 40, US 65, I 64; US 40; US 61

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Leesville, MO to St. Louis, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.