Drive or Fly: Decatur, PA to McMurray, PA?

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 SCE–PIT. At 189 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 25m

Distance

189 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 17m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, PA → SCE 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → McMurray, PA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Decatur, PA SCE — State College Regional Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

McMurray, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SCE and PIT. 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

5h 32m

4h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, PA → Lewistown Amtrak Station 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 258m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → McMurray, PA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Lewistown Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~19m 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

6h 38m

5h 40m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0400s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, PA → Lewistown (Square Cafe & Bakery) (LIS6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 340m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) → McMurray, PA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From LIS6 — Lewistown (Square Cafe & Bakery) 9 mi, ~14m drive

To PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 12 mi, ~19m 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	4h 25m	3h 17m	5h 32m	6h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$126	$25	$14
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	36 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

189 mi 4h 24m

via US 22, I 99; US 220, US 522

Alternative (+7 min)

206.4 mi 4h 31m

via I 76; PATP, US 522, US 22; US 522

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Decatur, PA to McMurray, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.