Drive or Fly: Saint Marys, PA to Allentown, 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 DUJ–ABE. At 225 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 37m

Distance

225.6 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 7m

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, PA → DUJ 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABE → Allentown, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Saint Marys, PA DUJ — DuBois Regional Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DUJ 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 8m

4h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, PA → Tyrone Amtrak 83m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 246m

Arrival 10m

Paoli Amtrak Station → Allentown, PA 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Tyrone Amtrak 55 mi, ~83m drive

To Paoli Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 26m

3h 30m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus N2640

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, PA → State College Regional Airport (SCA6) 81m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) (ALL6) → Allentown, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From SCA6 — State College Regional Airport 54 mi, ~81m drive

To ALL6 — Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) 1 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	4h 37m	3h 7m	7h 8m	5h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182	$30	$14
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	7 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 15, 2026.

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