Drive or Fly: Princeton Meadows, NJ to New Brunswick, 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 TTN–EWR. At 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

28m

Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

6 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 53m

1m in the air

Air Distance

12 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Princeton Meadows, NJ → TTN 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EWR → New Brunswick, NJ 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Princeton Meadows, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TTN 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

1h 11m

11m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Princeton Meadows, NJ → Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 11m

Arrival 10m

New Brunswick Amtrak Station → New Brunswick, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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	28m	2h 53m	1h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$120	$3
Carbon footprint	6 kg CO₂	3 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

16 mi 28m

via US 1

Alternative (+2 min)

17.3 mi 30m

via US 130

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