Drive or Fly: Madison, NJ to Menlo Park, 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 EWR–EWR. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

35m

Distance

22.3 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 41m

2m in the air

Air Distance

14 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, NJ → EWR 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EWR → Menlo Park, NJ 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Madison, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Menlo Park, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWR and EWR. 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 19m

9m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, NJ → Newark Liberty International Airport 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 9m

Arrival 10m

Metropark Amtrak Station → Menlo Park, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Newark Liberty International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

To Metropark Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 36m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, NJ → Newark (NJ) (NWK6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

New Brunswick (Downtown) (6RU) → Menlo Park, NJ 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From NWK6 — Newark (NJ) 13 mi, ~20m drive

To 6RU — New Brunswick (Downtown) 7 mi, ~11m 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	35m	2h 41m	1h 19m	1h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$2	$2
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 Madison, NJ to Menlo Park, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.