Drive or Fly: Penns Grove, NJ to Hamilton, 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 ILG–EWR. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 57m

Distance

96.3 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21
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 13m

10m in the air

Air Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Penns Grove, NJ → ILG 12m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 10m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
EWR → Hamilton, NJ 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Penns Grove, NJ ILG — Wilmington Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive
Hamilton, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILG and EWR. 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

2h 49m

1h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Penns Grove, NJ → Wilmington 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 77m
Arrival 10m
New Brunswick Amtrak Station → Hamilton, NJ 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Wilmington 4 mi, ~10m drive
To New Brunswick Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~42m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~35/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 1h 57m 3h 13m 2h 49m
Total cost (1 person) $56 $123 $16
Carbon footprint 39 kg CO2 21 kg CO2 5 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Penns Grove, NJ to Hamilton, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.