Drive or Fly: Saint Joseph, MO to Lemay, MO?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

Short enough to drive comfortably in a day. Airport overhead makes flying slower door-to-door. Available flights require a connection, adding time and cost.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 56m

Distance

308.2 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

125 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 45m

31m in the air

Air Distance

259 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, MO → MCI 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Lemay, MO 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Saint Joseph, MO MCI — Kansas City International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

Lemay, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 2h 11m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 45m

5h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$48

CO2

14 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, MO → Kansas City 74m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 340m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Lemay, MO 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $48) $48

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

Stations

From Kansas City 49 mi, ~74m drive

To St. Louis 7 mi, ~11m 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 59m

5h 35m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US0180s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, MO → Leavenworth Bus Stop (LVR6) 48m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 335m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Lemay, MO 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From LVR6 — Leavenworth Bus Stop 32 mi, ~48m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 8 mi, ~11m 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	5h 56m	3h 45m	7h 45m	6h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$48	$28
Carbon footprint	125 kg CO₂	66 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

308.2 mi 5h 55m

via I 70; US 40, I 70, I 435

Alternative (+15 min)

308.9 mi 6h 11m

via US 36, US 61, I 270

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint Joseph, MO to Lemay, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.