Drive or Fly: Middletown, RI to North Providence, RI?

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 NPT–PVD. At 30 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

51m

Distance

30.9 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 26m

3m in the air

Air Distance

23 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middletown, RI → NPT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PVD → North Providence, RI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Middletown, RI NPT — Newport State Airport 1 mi, ~10m drive

North Providence, RI PVD — Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between NPT and PVD. 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 32m

20m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middletown, RI → Kingston Amtrak Station 22m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 20m

Arrival 10m

Providence → North Providence, RI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Kingston Amtrak Station 15 mi, ~22m drive

To Providence 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	51m	2h 26m	1h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$5
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	6 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 — 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Middletown, RI to North Providence, RI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.