Drive or Fly: East Haven, CT to Hartford, CT?

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 HVN–BDL. At 38 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

53m

Distance

38.6 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 32m

4m in the air

Air Distance

35 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Haven, CT → HVN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Hartford, CT 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

East Haven, CT HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

Hartford, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HVN and BDL. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 28m

43m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0240

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Haven, CT → New Haven Bus Stop (NHV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 43m

Arrival 10m

Hartford (Union Station) (HAR6) → Hartford, CT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From NHV6 — New Haven Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

To HAR6 — Hartford (Union Station) 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	53m	2h 32m	1h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$4
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 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: 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

38.6 mi 52m

via I 91, CT 15

Alternative (+6 min)

43.8 mi 59m

via I 84, CT 10, I 91

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from East Haven, CT to Hartford, CT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.