Drive or Fly: Red Bank, NJ to Union City, 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 PHL–TEB. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 3m

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

2h 30m

10m in the air

Air Distance

87 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Red Bank, NJ → PHL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TEB → Union City, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Red Bank, NJ PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Union City, NJ TEB — Teterboro Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and TEB. 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 17m

1h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Acela

Door-to-Door Timeline

Red Bank, NJ → Philadelphia 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 77m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Union City, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Philadelphia 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~86/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

3h 10m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2602

Door-to-Door Timeline

Red Bank, NJ → Philadelphia (Schuylkill & Walnut) (PSD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

New York (Hudson Yards) (6NYY) → Union City, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From PSD6 — Philadelphia (Schuylkill & Walnut) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To 6NYY — New York (Hudson Yards) 2 mi, ~10m 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	2h 3m	2h 30m	2h 17m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$17	$9
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 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, 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Red Bank, NJ to Union City, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.