Drive or Fly: Albany, NY to Beekmantown, NY?

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 ALB–PBG. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 17m

Distance

162.5 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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

2h 42m

18m in the air

Air Distance

147 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, NY → ALB 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PBG → Beekmantown, NY 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Albany, NY ALB — Albany International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Beekmantown, NY PBG — Plattsburgh International Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALB and PBG. 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

5h 54m

4h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

9 kg

Route

Adirondack

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, NY → Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 254m

Arrival 10m

Plattsburgh Amtrak Station → Beekmantown, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Plattsburgh Amtrak Station 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

4h 20m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, NY → Albany Bus Terminal, NY (ALB6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Plattsburgh (PLB6) → Beekmantown, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From ALB6 — Albany Bus Terminal, NY 0 mi, ~30m drive

To PLB6 — Plattsburgh 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	3h 17m	2h 42m	5h 54m	4h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$29	$16
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Albany, NY to Beekmantown, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.