Drive or Fly: New Preston, CT to Danbury, 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 HVN–HPN. At 23 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

30m

Distance

23.4 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 37m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Preston, CT → HVN 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HPN → Danbury, CT 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

New Preston, CT HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

Danbury, CT HPN — Westchester County Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HVN and HPN. 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 4m

1h 8m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Preston, CT → Meriden 45m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 68m

Arrival 10m

Bridgeport Amtrak Station → Danbury, CT 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Meriden 30 mi, ~45m drive

To Bridgeport Amtrak Station 20 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 54m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0255s

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Preston, CT → New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) (NBI6) 44m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Bridgeport Bus Stop (BDB6) → Danbury, CT 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From NBI6 — New Britain (Jimmy'S Food Mart #1) 29 mi, ~44m drive

To BDB6 — Bridgeport Bus Stop 20 mi, ~30m 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	30m	3h 37m	3h 4m	2h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$6	$4
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 17, 2026.

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