Drive or Fly: Hampton, PA to Norristown, 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 MDT–PHL. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 20m

Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 14m

11m in the air

Air Distance

92 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, PA → MDT 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHL → Norristown, PA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Hampton, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Norristown, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDT and PHL. 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 1m

1h 32m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, PA → Harrisburg 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 92m

Arrival 10m

Ardmore Amtrak Station → Norristown, PA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Harrisburg 25 mi, ~37m drive

To Ardmore Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~68/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 20m	3h 14m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$17
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	23 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 — 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 15, 2026.

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