Drive or Fly: Alpharetta, GA to Baldwin, GA?

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 PDK–PDK. At 60 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 23m

Distance

60.6 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 59m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alpharetta, GA → PDK 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDK → Baldwin, GA 92m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Alpharetta, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Baldwin, GA PDK — DeKalb Peachtree Airport 61 mi, ~92m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDK and PDK. 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

3h 4m

1h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alpharetta, GA → Atlanta 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 94m

Arrival 10m

Toccoa Amtrak Station → Baldwin, GA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Atlanta 20 mi, ~30m drive

To Toccoa Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~20m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~11/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 11 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 49m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0670

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alpharetta, GA → Norcross (4NC) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Gainesville (Shell) (GAS6) → Baldwin, GA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From 4NC — Norcross 12 mi, ~18m drive

To GAS6 — Gainesville (Shell) 21 mi, ~31m 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	1h 23m	3h 59m	3h 4m	1h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$16	$4
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	5 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

60.6 mi 1h 23m

via US 23; GA 365, US 19; GA 400, GA 53

Alternative (+0 min)

61.8 mi 1h 23m

via I 985; US 23, US 23; GA 365, Peachtree Industrial Boulevard

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alpharetta, GA to Baldwin, GA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.