Drive or Fly: Frankstown, PA to Harrisburg, 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 AOO–MDT. At 132 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 39m

Distance

132.2 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 38m

9m in the air

Air Distance

78 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frankstown, PA → AOO 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → Harrisburg, PA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Frankstown, PA AOO — Altoona Blair County Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

Harrisburg, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AOO and MDT. 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

3h 52m

2h 52m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frankstown, PA → Altoona Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 172m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg → Harrisburg, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Altoona Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Harrisburg 1 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

3h 35m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0400s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg Bus Station (HBG6) → Harrisburg, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From ALT6 — Altoona Bus Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To HBG6 — Harrisburg Bus Station 1 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	2h 39m	2h 38m	3h 52m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$123	$16	$9
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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

132.2 mi 2h 38m

via I 70; I 76; PATP, I 99; US 220, PA 36

Shortest (+3 min)

115.4 mi 2h 42m

via US 22, US 22; US 322, US 22 BUS

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