Drive or Fly: Manhattan, NY to New Paltz, 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 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 41m

Distance

77.7 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 43m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manhattan, NY → LGA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SWF → New Paltz, NY 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

New Paltz, NY SWF — New York Stewart International Airport 17 mi, ~25m 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 27m

1h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station → New Paltz, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

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

To Poughkeepsie Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m 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 58m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0240

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

White Plains Bus Station (WHP6) → New Paltz, NY 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

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

To WHP6 — White Plains Bus Station 52 mi, ~78m 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 41m	2h 43m	2h 27m	2h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$13	$2
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

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