Drive or Fly: Hartford, CT to Waterbury, CT?

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 BDL–HVN. At 30 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 54m

3m in the air

Air Distance

24 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartford, CT → BDL 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HVN → Waterbury, CT 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Hartford, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Waterbury, CT HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BDL and HVN. 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 29m

19m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Hartford Line

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartford, CT → Hartford Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 19m

Arrival 10m

Meriden → Waterbury, CT 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Hartford Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Meriden 13 mi, ~20m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~41/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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 14m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0255s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartford, CT → Hartford (Union Station) (HAR6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) (NBI6) → Waterbury, CT 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From HAR6 — Hartford (Union Station) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To NBI6 — New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) 16 mi, ~24m 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	39m	2h 54m	1h 29m	1h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$3	$1
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hartford, CT to Waterbury, CT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.