Drive or Fly: Clifton Park, 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 ALB–SYR. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 54m

Distance

138.7 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 36m

14m in the air

Air Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clifton Park, NY → ALB 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SYR → Syracuse, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALB 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

3h 22m

2h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clifton Park, NY → Schenectady 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 138m

Arrival 10m

Syracuse Regional Transportation Center → Syracuse, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Schenectady 9 mi, ~14m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 4m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus 2691

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

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

To SYR — Syracuse Bus Station 2 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 54m	2h 36m	3h 22m	3h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$125	$23	$13
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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.

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