Drive or Fly: New Brunswick, NJ to Red Bank, NJ?

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 EWR–PHL. At 65 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 26m

Distance

65.2 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 48m

7m in the air

Air Distance

57 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Brunswick, NJ → EWR 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHL → Red Bank, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

New Brunswick, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 20 mi, ~31m drive

Red Bank, NJ PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWR and PHL. 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 49m

49m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Brunswick, NJ → New Brunswick Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 49m

Arrival 10m

Philadelphia → Red Bank, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From New Brunswick Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Philadelphia 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~50/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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2602

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Brunswick, NJ → New Brunswick (Downtown) (6RU) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Philadelphia (Schuylkill & Walnut) (PSD6) → Red Bank, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From 6RU — New Brunswick (Downtown) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To PSD6 — Philadelphia (Schuylkill & Walnut) 6 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	1h 26m	2h 48m	1h 49m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$11	$6
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Brunswick, NJ to Red Bank, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.