Drive or Fly: Buffalo, NY to Cochecton, 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–AVP. At 267 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 45m

Distance

267.6 mi

Total Cost

$94

CO2

108 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$59

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 41m

25m in the air

Air Distance

211 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → BUF 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AVP → Cochecton, NY 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Cochecton, NY AVP — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport 43 mi, ~64m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 4m 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

9h 2m

6h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$53

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → Buffalo 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 405m

Arrival 10m

Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station → Cochecton, NY 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $53) $53

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

Stations

From Buffalo 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 58 mi, ~87m 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

7h 11m

5h 40m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0215

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → Buffalo (BUF) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 340m

Arrival 10m

Scranton Bus Station (SCR6) → Cochecton, NY 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From BUF — Buffalo 0 mi, ~10m drive

To SCR6 — Scranton Bus Station 38 mi, ~56m 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	5h 45m	3h 41m	9h 2m	7h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$94	$183	$53	$21
Carbon footprint	108 kg CO₂	54 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	11 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

267.6 mi 5h 45m

via I 86, I 86; NY 17, I 390

Alternative (+5 min)

271.3 mi 5h 51m

via I 90, I 81, I 86; NY 17

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Buffalo, NY to Cochecton, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.