Drive or Fly: Colts Neck, NJ to Toms River, NJ?

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 EWR–TTN. At 26 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

35m

Distance

26.2 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 44m

3m in the air

Air Distance

23 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colts Neck, NJ → EWR 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TTN → Toms River, NJ 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Colts Neck, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

Toms River, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWR and TTN. 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 13m

12m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colts Neck, NJ → New Brunswick Amtrak Station 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 12m

Arrival 10m

Princeton Junction Amtrak Station → Toms River, NJ 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From New Brunswick Amtrak Station 20 mi, ~31m drive

To Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~32/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	35m	3h 44m	2h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	11 kg CO₂	6 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 — 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

26.2 mi 34m

via GSP, NJ 34

Alternative (+4 min)

28.9 mi 39m

via NJ 34, NJ 70, GSP

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Colts Neck, NJ to Toms River, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.