Chicago and St. Louis are are about five hours away from each other by car. Flying will, of course be much quicker, with the flight taking under an hour. The two cities are also well-connected by bus and train, with frequent service between the two. The drive is all highway and through mostly farmlands – so if you have the money or are in a hurry, or can snag a great airfare deal flying is the best option.
Chicago to St. Louis
Flights
Delta, United, Southwest, American, Continental, and several other airlines offer frequent service from St. Louis to Chicago. Booking further in advance can help you find cheap tickets to St. Louis, though the cost is usually pretty low year-round, except for during holiday times.
Journey time: about 1 hour
Typical price: $80 to $150 round-trip per person. Southwest often has great deals for under $100 round trip.
Trains
Amtrak connects Chicago to St. Louis with several runs per day.
Journey time: About 5 hours.
Buses
Megabus operates three to five double-decker buses per day between Chicago and St. Louis. The trip takes about five hours, as the bus stops for a 30-minute break for food halfway along the journey.Tickets generally cost about $20-$30 each way, though thanks to frequent deals you can often find them for much less (often less than the cost of gas).
Journey time: About 5 hours.
Driving
The drive between Chicago and St. Louis is about 300 highway miles and passes through southern Illinois on the way to Missouri.
Journey time: 4.5- 5 hours.
