Drive or Fly: New Britain, CT to Mansfield City, CT?

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 BDL–BDL. At 35 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

57m

Distance

35.4 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 12m

3m in the air

Air Distance

29 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Britain, CT → BDL 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Mansfield City, CT 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

New Britain, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Mansfield City, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BDL and BDL. 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 45m

22m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Valley Flyer

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Britain, CT → Berlin Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 22m

Arrival 10m

Windsor → Mansfield City, CT 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Berlin Amtrak 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Windsor 22 mi, ~33m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~16/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	57m	3h 12m	1h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	7 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Britain, CT to Mansfield City, CT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.