Drive or Fly: Liberty, NY to Manhattan, NY?

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 SWF–LGA. At 101 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 12m

Distance

101.1 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 18m

10m in the air

Air Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Liberty, NY → SWF 58m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Liberty, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

Manhattan, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SWF and LGA. 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

3h 40m

1h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Liberty, NY → Rhinecliff Amtrak Station 63m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 107m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Rhinecliff Amtrak Station 42 mi, ~63m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 27m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0215

Door-to-Door Timeline

Liberty, NY → Scranton Bus Station (SCR6) 82m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

New York Port Authority (NYD6) → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From SCR6 — Scranton Bus Station 55 mi, ~82m drive

To NYD6 — New York Port Authority 2 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 12m	3h 18m	3h 40m	4h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$16	$11
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	6 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 Liberty, NY to Manhattan, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.