Drive or Fly: New Canaan, CT to Manchester, 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 HPN–BDL. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 27m

Distance

78.1 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Canaan, CT → HPN 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Manchester, CT 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

New Canaan, CT HPN — Westchester County Airport 12 mi, ~19m drive

Manchester, CT BDL — Bradley International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HPN 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

3h 20m

2h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Canaan, CT → Stamford Amtrak Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 137m

Arrival 10m

Windsor → Manchester, CT 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Stamford Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Windsor 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~24/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

2h 43m

1h 55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0240

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Canaan, CT → Stamford Bus Stop (SMD6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Hartford (Union Station) (HAR6) → Manchester, CT 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From SMD6 — Stamford Bus Stop 7 mi, ~11m drive

To HAR6 — Hartford (Union Station) 8 mi, ~12m 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 27m	2h 48m	3h 20m	2h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$15	$7
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 16, 2026.

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