Drive or Fly: Rye, PA to Bristol, 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 MDT–TTN. At 121 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 32m

Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 4m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rye, PA → MDT 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TTN → Bristol, PA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Rye, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 22 mi, ~34m drive

Bristol, PA TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDT and TTN. 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 15m

1h 58m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rye, PA → Mount Joy Amtrak 27m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 118m

Arrival 10m

Cornwells Heights Amtrak → Bristol, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Mount Joy Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m drive

To Cornwells Heights Amtrak 6 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	2h 32m	3h 4m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124	$16
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	25 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rye, PA to Bristol, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.