Drive or Fly: McMurray, PA to Elizabethtown, 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 PIT–MDT. At 219 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 31m

Distance

219.9 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

89 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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

22m in the air

Air Distance

184 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

McMurray, PA → PIT 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → Elizabethtown, PA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

McMurray, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIT 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 1m

5h 52m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

McMurray, PA → Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 352m

Arrival 10m

Elizabethtown Amtrak Station → Elizabethtown, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~19m drive

To Elizabethtown Amtrak Station 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

5h 36m

4h 30m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0430

Door-to-Door Timeline

McMurray, PA → Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 270m

Arrival 10m

York Bus Stop (YKK6) → Elizabethtown, PA 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 12 mi, ~19m drive

To YKK6 — York Bus Stop 14 mi, ~22m 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	4h 31m	3h	7h 1m	5h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$182	$36	$19
Carbon footprint	89 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from McMurray, PA to Elizabethtown, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.