Drive or Fly: Montour Falls, NY to Yonkers, 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 ELM–TEB. At 251 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 13m

Distance

251.3 mi

Total Cost

$90

CO2

102 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$55

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 57m

22m in the air

Air Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montour Falls, NY → ELM 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TEB → Yonkers, NY 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Montour Falls, NY ELM — Elmira Corning Regional Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Yonkers, NY TEB — Teterboro Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ELM and TEB. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 16m compared to driving

+ 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 33m

5h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Montour Falls, NY → Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 91m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 312m

Arrival 10m

Yonkers Amtrak Station → Yonkers, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Syracuse Regional Transportation Center 61 mi, ~91m drive

To Yonkers Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 13m	2h 57m	7h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$90	$182	$38
Carbon footprint	102 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	11 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

251.3 mi 5h 12m

via I 86; NY 17, I 86; NY 17; NY 13, Palisades Interstate Parkway

Alternative (+3 min)

258.1 mi 5h 16m

via I 80, I 86; NY 17; NY 13, I 81

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Montour Falls, NY to Yonkers, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.