Drive or Fly: Bethlehem, PA to Oakdale, 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–AVP. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 54m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethlehem, PA → ABE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AVP → Oakdale, PA 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Oakdale, PA AVP — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ABE and AVP. 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

4h 1m

38m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethlehem, PA → Paoli Amtrak Station 61m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 38m

Arrival 10m

Lancaster → Oakdale, PA 102m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Paoli Amtrak Station 41 mi, ~61m drive

To Lancaster 68 mi, ~102m 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 11m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0340s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethlehem, PA → Lehigh Valley International Airport (ALW6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Mount Pocono (Martz Express) (MOC6) → Oakdale, PA 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From ALW6 — Lehigh Valley International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

To MOC6 — Mount Pocono (Martz Express) 31 mi, ~46m 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 20m	2h 54m	4h 1m	3h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$9	$4
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

52 mi 1h 20m

via PA 145, PA 248, PA 93

Alternative (+12 min)

60.3 mi 1h 32m

via PA 309, US 22, PA 100

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