Drive or Fly: Mill Hall, PA to Pittsburgh, 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 SCE–PIT. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 38m

Distance

166.7 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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

3h 15m

17m in the air

Air Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mill Hall, PA → SCE 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → Pittsburgh, PA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Mill Hall, PA SCE — State College Regional Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Pittsburgh, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SCE and PIT. 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

6h 2m

4h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mill Hall, PA → Lewistown Amtrak Station 54m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 258m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → Pittsburgh, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Lewistown Amtrak Station 36 mi, ~54m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 0 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

4h 14m

3h on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus N2640

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mill Hall, PA → State College Regional Airport (SCA6) 39m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 180m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) → Pittsburgh, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From SCA6 — State College Regional Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

To PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 0 mi, ~10m 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	3h 38m	3h 15m	6h 2m	4h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$25	$13
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

166.7 mi 3h 37m

via US 22, I 99; US 220, US 220; PA 26

Alternative (+8 min)

181 mi 3h 45m

via I 80; US 220, PA 28, PA 28; PA 66

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