Drive or Fly: Haverford, PA to Abbottstown, 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 PHL–MDT. At 107 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 27m

Distance

107 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

43 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 2m

11m in the air

Air Distance

90 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Haverford, PA → PHL 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → Abbottstown, PA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Haverford, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL 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

2h 53m

1h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

4 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Haverford, PA → Ardmore Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Middletown → Abbottstown, PA 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Ardmore Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Middletown 25 mi, ~38m 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 27m	3h 2m	2h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$16
Carbon footprint	43 kg CO₂	23 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 — 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 Haverford, PA to Abbottstown, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.