Drive or Fly: Park Forest Village, PA to Bethlehem, PA?

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 SCE–ABE. At 173 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

173.7 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 36m

16m in the air

Air Distance

134 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Park Forest Village, PA → SCE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABE → Bethlehem, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Park Forest Village, PA SCE — State College Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Bethlehem, PA ABE — Lehigh Valley International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SCE and ABE. 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

6h 16m

4h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Park Forest Village, PA → Tyrone Amtrak 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 246m

Arrival 10m

Paoli Amtrak Station → Bethlehem, PA 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Tyrone Amtrak 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Paoli Amtrak Station 41 mi, ~61m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 32m	2h 36m	6h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$30
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

173.7 mi 3h 32m

via I 80; US 220, I 78; US 22, PA 54

Shortest (+0 min)

168.3 mi 3h 32m

via I 80; US 220, PA 248, I 99; US 220

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Park Forest Village, PA to Bethlehem, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.