Drive or Fly: Harrisburg, PA to State College, 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–SCE. At 86 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 56m

Distance

86.1 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 31m

8m in the air

Air Distance

63 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harrisburg, PA → MDT 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SCE → State College, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

State College, PA SCE — State College Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDT and SCE. 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 30m

1h 9m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harrisburg, PA → Harrisburg 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 69m

Arrival 10m

Lewistown Amtrak Station → State College, PA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Harrisburg 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Lewistown Amtrak Station 20 mi, ~31m 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 35m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

State College Bus Station (SCP6) → State College, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From HBG6 — Harrisburg Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SCP6 — State College 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 56m	2h 31m	2h 30m	2h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$9	$7
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	4 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 Harrisburg, PA to State College, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.