Drive or Fly: Sound Beach, NY to Manhattan, NY?

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 ISP–LGA. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 37m

Distance

62.1 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 36m

6m in the air

Air Distance

54 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sound Beach, NY → ISP 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → Manhattan, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Sound Beach, NY ISP — Long Island MacArthur Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Manhattan, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ISP and LGA. 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 6m

1h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

4 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sound Beach, NY → Bridgeport Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 86m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Manhattan, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Bridgeport Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 0 mi, ~30m 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 45m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sound Beach, NY → Bridgeport Bus Stop (BDB6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

New York Port Authority (NYD6) → Manhattan, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From BDB6 — Bridgeport Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To NYD6 — New York Port Authority 0 mi, ~30m 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	1h 37m	2h 36m	3h 6m	3h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$10	$6
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

62.1 mi 1h 37m

via I 495, NY 347

Alternative (+4 min)

63.7 mi 1h 41m

via I 495, NY 347, I 278

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sound Beach, NY to Manhattan, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.