Drive or Fly: Chester, VT to Montpelier, VT?

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 RUT–BTV. At 98 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

98.4 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 34m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chester, VT → RUT 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTV → Montpelier, VT 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Chester, VT RUT — Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport 26 mi, ~38m drive

Montpelier, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RUT and BTV. 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 15m

2h 8m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chester, VT → Bellows Falls Amtrak Station 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 128m

Arrival 10m

Montpelier-Berlin Amtrak Station → Montpelier, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Bellows Falls Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~17m drive

To Montpelier-Berlin Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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	3h 34m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$16
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	18 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Chester, VT to Montpelier, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.