Drive or Fly: Buffalo, NY to Hillside Lake, 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 368 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 28m

Distance

368.4 mi

Total Cost

$116

CO2

149 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 12m

33m in the air

Air Distance

274 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → BUF 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SWF → Hillside Lake, NY 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Hillside Lake, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 16m 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 49m

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 → Hillside Lake, NY 14m

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 10 mi, ~14m 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 28m	3h 12m	7h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$116	$186	$53
Carbon footprint	149 kg CO₂	70 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

368.4 mi 7h 27m

via I 90, Taconic State Parkway, New York State Thruway

Shortest (+1 min)

347.6 mi 7h 29m

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

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