Drive or Fly: Sheldon, VT to Hartford, VT?

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 BTV–LEB. At 126 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 36m

Distance

126.2 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 6m

11m in the air

Air Distance

90 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sheldon, VT → BTV 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LEB → Hartford, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Sheldon, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

Hartford, VT LEB — Lebanon Municipal Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTV and LEB. 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

4h 1m

2h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

7 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sheldon, VT → St. Albans Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 141m

Arrival 10m

White River Junction Amtrak Station → Hartford, VT 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From St. Albans Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To White River Junction Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sheldon, VT → St. Albans Bus Stop (SNB6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

White River Junction Bus Station (WRJ6) → Hartford, VT 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From SNB6 — St. Albans Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To WRJ6 — White River Junction Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 36m	3h 6m	4h 1m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	7 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sheldon, VT to Hartford, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.