Drive or Fly: St Johnsbury, VT to Chelsea, 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 54 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 21m

Distance

54.1 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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

4h 7m

4m in the air

Air Distance

37 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

St Johnsbury, VT → BTV 84m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LEB → Chelsea, VT 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

St Johnsbury, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 56 mi, ~84m drive

Chelsea, VT LEB — Lebanon Municipal Airport 26 mi, ~39m 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

2h 19m

34m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

St Johnsbury, VT → Montpelier-Berlin Amtrak Station 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 34m

Arrival 10m

Randolph Amtrak → Chelsea, VT 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Montpelier-Berlin Amtrak Station 31 mi, ~47m drive

To Randolph Amtrak 12 mi, ~18m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 21m	4h 7m	2h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$121	$5
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	1 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

54.1 mi 1h 21m

via I 91, Chelsea Road, VT 25

Shortest (+2 min)

53.6 mi 1h 23m

via US 2, VT 110, Chelsea Road

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