Drive or Fly: Manhattan, NY to Lake Carmel, 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 LGA–SWF. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 26m

Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 50m

6m in the air

Air Distance

49 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manhattan, NY → LGA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SWF → Lake Carmel, NY 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Lake Carmel, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGA and SWF. 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

2h 5m

42m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 42m

Arrival 10m

Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station → Lake Carmel, NY 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

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

To Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~33m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 54m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0240

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Stamford Bus Stop (SMD6) → Lake Carmel, NY 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From NYD6 — New York Port Authority 2 mi, ~10m drive

To SMD6 — Stamford Bus Stop 29 mi, ~44m 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 26m	2h 50m	2h 5m	2h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$6	$3
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	2 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Manhattan, NY to Lake Carmel, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.