Drive or Fly: Buffalo, NY to Wayland, 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–ROC. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

83.6 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 17m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → BUF 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ROC → Wayland, NY 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Wayland, NY ROC — Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUF and ROC. 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 57m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → Buffalo 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Rochester → Wayland, NY 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Buffalo 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Rochester 41 mi, ~62m 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

2h 50m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2686

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, NY → Buffalo (BUF) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Dansville (Family Dollar) (6DS) → Wayland, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From BUF — Buffalo 0 mi, ~10m drive

To 6DS — Dansville (Family Dollar) 5 mi, ~10m 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	2h	3h 17m	2h 57m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$13	$7
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

83.6 mi 1h 59m

via US 20A, I 390, NY 400

Alternative (+9 min)

88.3 mi 2h 9m

via US 20, I 390, NY 63

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