Drive or Fly: Canandaigua, NY to Syracuse, 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 ROC–SYR. At 70 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 29m

Distance

70 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

28 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 56m

7m in the air

Air Distance

59 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Canandaigua, NY → ROC 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SYR → Syracuse, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Canandaigua, NY ROC — Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Syracuse, NY SYR — Syracuse Hancock International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ROC and SYR. 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 39m

1h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Canandaigua, NY → Rochester 39m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Syracuse Regional Transportation Center → Syracuse, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Rochester 26 mi, ~39m drive

To Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 2 mi, ~10m 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 43m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2686

Door-to-Door Timeline

Canandaigua, NY → Rochester Bus Stop (ROC6) 38m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Syracuse Bus Station (SYR) → Syracuse, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From ROC6 — Rochester Bus Stop 25 mi, ~38m drive

To SYR — Syracuse Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~25/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

− 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	1h 29m	2h 56m	2h 39m	2h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$15	$8
Carbon footprint	28 kg CO₂	15 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

70 mi 1h 28m

via I 90, I 690, NY 21

Alternative (+7 min)

71.9 mi 1h 36m

via I 90, NY 21, NY 31

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