Drive or Fly: Hillsborough, NJ to Toms River, NJ?

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 TTN–TTN. At 60 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 27m

Distance

60.2 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 30m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsborough, NJ → TTN 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TTN → Toms River, NJ 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Hillsborough, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

Toms River, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TTN and TTN. 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 56m

12m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsborough, NJ → New Brunswick Amtrak Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 12m

Arrival 10m

Princeton Junction Amtrak Station → Toms River, NJ 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From New Brunswick Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~14m drive

To Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~32/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	1h 27m	3h 30m	1h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$3
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	11 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 — 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 Hillsborough, NJ to Toms River, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.