Drive or Fly: East Fishkill, NY to Amherst, 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 SWF–BUF. At 340 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 15m

Distance

340.7 mi

Total Cost

$110

CO2

138 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$75

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 8m

33m in the air

Air Distance

274 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Fishkill, NY → SWF 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

East Fishkill, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

Amherst, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SWF and BUF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 7m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 43m

6h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Fishkill, NY → Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 394m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo Depew Station → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Buffalo Depew Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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	7h 15m	3h 8m	7h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$110	$186	$52
Carbon footprint	138 kg CO₂	70 kg CO₂	15 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

340.7 mi 7h 15m

via NY 17, I 90, I 81

Alternative (+4 min)

366.6 mi 7h 20m

via I 90, Taconic State Parkway, I 87

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from East Fishkill, NY to Amherst, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.