Drive or Fly: Clifton Park, NY to Albany, 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 ALB–ALB. At 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

27m

Distance

16.3 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 25m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clifton Park, NY → ALB 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALB → Albany, NY 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Clifton Park, NY ALB — Albany International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Albany, NY ALB — Albany International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALB and ALB. 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

1h 26m

22m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clifton Park, NY → Schenectady 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 22m

Arrival 10m

Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station → Albany, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Schenectady 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station 1 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

1h 19m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0270

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clifton Park, NY → Schenectady (Gateway Mobility Hub) (SCY6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Albany Bus Terminal, NY (ALB6) → Albany, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From SCY6 — Schenectady (Gateway Mobility Hub) 10 mi, ~14m drive

To ALB6 — Albany Bus Terminal, NY 1 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	27m	2h 25m	1h 26m	1h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$3	$2
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 12, 2026.

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