Drive or Fly: Amherst, NY to Beekman, 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 BUF–SWF. At 365 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 21m

Distance

365.9 mi

Total Cost

$116

CO2

148 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$81
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 16m

33m in the air

Air Distance

277 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amherst, NY → BUF 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 33m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SWF → Beekman, NY 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Amherst, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive
Beekman, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUF and SWF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 5m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
Airport security and check-in overhead
No scheduled commercial flights found for this route
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 38m

6h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amherst, NY → Buffalo Depew Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 388m
Arrival 10m
Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station → Beekman, NY 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Buffalo Depew Station 6 mi, ~10m drive
To Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~20m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 7h 21m 3h 16m 7h 38m
Total cost (1 person) $116 $186 $52
Carbon footprint 148 kg CO2 71 kg CO2 15 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 — 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 Amherst, NY to Beekman, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.