Drive or Fly: Lincoln, VT to New Haven, VT?

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 BTV–BTV. At 9 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

18m

Distance

9 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

4 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$2

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 17m

1m in the air

Air Distance

8 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lincoln, VT → BTV 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTV → New Haven, VT 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Lincoln, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 26 mi, ~40m drive

New Haven, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTV and BTV. 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 26m

20m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Ethan Allen Express

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lincoln, VT → Middlebury 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 20m

Arrival 10m

Ferrisburgh → New Haven, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Middlebury 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Ferrisburgh 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 22m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0260

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lincoln, VT → Montpelier Transit Center (MPE6) 35m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr (BT6) → New Haven, VT 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From MPE6 — Montpelier Transit Center 23 mi, ~35m drive

To BT6 — Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr 25 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	18m	3h 17m	1h 26m	2h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$2	$4
Carbon footprint	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	2 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lincoln, VT to New Haven, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.