Drive or Fly: Allentown, PA to Temple, PA?

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 ABE–LNS. At 30 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

45m

Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 55m

3m in the air

Air Distance

27 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allentown, PA → ABE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LNS → Temple, PA 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Allentown, PA ABE — Lehigh Valley International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Temple, PA LNS — Lancaster Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABE and LNS. 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

2h 42m

18m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allentown, PA → Paoli Amtrak Station 59m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 18m

Arrival 10m

Coatesville Amtrak → Temple, PA 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Paoli Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m drive

To Coatesville Amtrak 30 mi, ~45m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~93/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 45m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2650

Door-to-Door Timeline

Allentown, PA → Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) (ALL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Reading (BARTA Transportation Center) (6RA) → Temple, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From ALL6 — Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 6RA — Reading (BARTA Transportation Center) 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	45m	2h 55m	2h 42m	1h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

30 mi 44m

via US 222, PA 222

Alternative (+2 min)

30.4 mi 47m

via US 222, US 22, Schantz Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Allentown, PA to Temple, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.