Drive or Fly: King, PA to Pittsburgh, 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 AOO–PIT. At 119 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 22m

Distance

119.2 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

2h 42m

10m in the air

Air Distance

82 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

King, PA → AOO 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → Pittsburgh, PA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

King, PA AOO — Altoona Blair County Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

Pittsburgh, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AOO and PIT. 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

4h 7m

2h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

King, PA → Altoona Amtrak Station 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 169m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → Pittsburgh, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Altoona Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m 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

4h 43m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0400s

Door-to-Door Timeline

King, PA → Altoona Bus Station (ALT6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) → Pittsburgh, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From ALT6 — Altoona Bus Station 19 mi, ~28m drive

To PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal 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	2h 22m	2h 42m	4h 7m	4h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$123	$17	$9
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	5 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, 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

119.2 mi 2h 21m

via I 70; I 76; PATP, I 376; US 22, I 99; US 220

Shortest (+3 min)

105.1 mi 2h 25m

via US 22, I 376; US 22, I 99; US 220

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