Drive or Fly: Altoona, PA to Vandergrift, 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 AOO–LBE. At 79 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 52m

Distance

79.7 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 7m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, PA → AOO 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LBE → Vandergrift, PA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Altoona, PA AOO — Altoona Blair County Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Vandergrift, PA LBE — Arnold Palmer Regional Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AOO and LBE. 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 11m

1h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, PA → Altoona Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Greensburg Amtrak → Vandergrift, PA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Altoona Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Greensburg Amtrak 21 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 51m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0400s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, PA → Altoona Bus Station (ALT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Greensburg Westmoreland Transit Ctr (GSG6) → Vandergrift, PA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From ALT6 — Altoona Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To GSG6 — Greensburg Westmoreland Transit Ctr 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 52m	3h 7m	3h 11m	3h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$122	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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

79.7 mi 1h 51m

via US 422, PA 56; PA 156, US 22

Alternative (+8 min)

82.2 mi 2h 0m

via US 22, PA 981, PA 819

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