Drive or Fly: Forward, PA to Altoona, 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 JST–AOO. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

55.6 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 47m

4m in the air

Air Distance

36 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Forward, PA → JST 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AOO → Altoona, PA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Forward, PA JST — John Murtha Johnstown Cambria County Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Altoona, PA AOO — Altoona Blair County Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JST and AOO. 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 5m

54m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Forward, PA → Johnstown Amtrak Station 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 54m

Arrival 10m

Altoona Amtrak Station → Altoona, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Johnstown Amtrak Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Altoona Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m 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

2h 1m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0400s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Forward, PA → Johnstown Bus Stop (JNW6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Altoona Bus Station (ALT6) → Altoona, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From JNW6 — Johnstown Bus Stop 14 mi, ~21m drive

To ALT6 — Altoona Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m 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	1h 25m	2h 47m	2h 5m	2h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$121	$6	$3
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

55.6 mi 1h 25m

via US 219, US 22, PA 53

Alternative (+5 min)

60.2 mi 1h 30m

via I 99; US 220, US 30, PA 56

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