Drive or Fly: Bradley Beach, NJ to Toms River, NJ?

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 JFK–TTN. At 23 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

32m

Distance

23.1 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5
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 50m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bradley Beach, NJ → JFK 49m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 2m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
TTN → Toms River, NJ 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Bradley Beach, NJ JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive
Toms River, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JFK and TTN. 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 37m

22m on rail

Total Cost

$5

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bradley Beach, NJ → Metropark Amtrak Station 45m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 22m
Arrival 10m
Princeton Junction Amtrak Station → Toms River, NJ 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Metropark Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive
To Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~25/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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 32m 3h 50m 2h 37m
Total cost (1 person) $40 $121 $5
Carbon footprint 9 kg CO2 5 kg CO2 1 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bradley Beach, NJ to Toms River, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.