Drive or Fly: Essex Junction, VT to Montpelier, VT?

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 BTV–BTV. At 36 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

41m

Distance

36.3 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

15 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 2m

4m in the air

Air Distance

31 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Essex Junction, VT → BTV 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTV → Montpelier, VT 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Essex Junction, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Montpelier, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTV and BTV. 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

1h 41m

41m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Essex Junction, VT → Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 41m

Arrival 10m

Montpelier-Berlin Amtrak Station → Montpelier, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Montpelier-Berlin Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 35m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0260

Door-to-Door Timeline

Essex Junction, VT → Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr (BT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Montpelier Transit Center (MPE6) → Montpelier, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From BT6 — Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr 5 mi, ~10m drive

To MPE6 — Montpelier Transit Center 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	41m	3h 2m	1h 41m	1h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$6	$4
Carbon footprint	15 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Essex Junction, VT to Montpelier, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.