Drive or Fly: Lock Haven, PA to Harrisburg, 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 IPT–MDT. At 108 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

108.7 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

44 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 3m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lock Haven, PA → IPT 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → Harrisburg, PA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Lock Haven, PA IPT — Williamsport Regional Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

Harrisburg, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IPT 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

3h 15m

1h 27m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lock Haven, PA → Lewistown Amtrak Station 58m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 87m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg → Harrisburg, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Lewistown Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~58m drive

To Harrisburg 1 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

3h 3m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2640

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lock Haven, PA → State College Regional Airport (SCA6) 43m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg Bus Station (HBG6) → Harrisburg, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From SCA6 — State College Regional Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

To HBG6 — Harrisburg Bus Station 1 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	1h 58m	3h 3m	3h 15m	3h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$123	$9	$7
Carbon footprint	44 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	3 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, 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 Lock Haven, PA to Harrisburg, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.