Drive or Fly: New Brunswick, NJ to West Windsor, 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–TTN. At 17 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

17.5 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 49m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Brunswick, NJ → EWR 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TTN → West Windsor, NJ 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

West Windsor, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWR and TTN. 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 12m

12m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Brunswick, NJ → New Brunswick Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 12m

Arrival 10m

Princeton Junction Amtrak Station → West Windsor, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

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

To Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~32/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	29m	2h 49m	1h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

17.5 mi 28m

via US 1

Alternative (+6 min)

20.5 mi 35m

via US 1, US 130

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