Drive or Fly: Shamokin Dam, 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 IPT–ABE. At 89 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 56m

Distance

89 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 1m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shamokin Dam, PA → IPT 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ABE → Allentown, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Shamokin Dam, PA IPT — Williamsport Regional Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IPT 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 57m

1h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shamokin Dam, PA → Harrisburg 61m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 77m

Arrival 10m

Paoli Amtrak Station → Allentown, PA 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Harrisburg 41 mi, ~61m drive

To Paoli Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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 6m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0420

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shamokin Dam, PA → Harrisburg Bus Station (HBG6) 61m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From HBG6 — Harrisburg Bus Station 41 mi, ~61m drive

To ALL6 — Allentown (Allentown Bus Stop) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	1h 56m	3h 1m	3h 57m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$15	$9
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 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 Shamokin Dam, PA to Allentown, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.