Drive or Fly: Bristol, PA to West York, 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 TTN–MDT. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 30m

Distance

118.7 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 55m

12m in the air

Air Distance

101 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bristol, PA → TTN 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → West York, PA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Bristol, PA TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

West York, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TTN and MDT. 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 28m

2h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bristol, PA → Cornwells Heights Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Elizabethtown Amtrak Station → West York, PA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Cornwells Heights Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Elizabethtown Amtrak Station 15 mi, ~23m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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	2h 30m	2h 55m	3h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$18
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	5 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 15, 2026.

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