Drive or Fly: State College, PA to McMurray, 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 SCE–PIT. At 148 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

148.9 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 50m

15m in the air

Air Distance

122 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

State College, PA → SCE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → McMurray, PA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

State College, PA SCE — State College Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

McMurray, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SCE and PIT. 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

5h 48m

4h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

7 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

State College, PA → Lewistown Amtrak Station 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 258m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → McMurray, PA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Lewistown Amtrak Station 20 mi, ~31m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~19m 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

3h 39m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

State College, PA → State College Bus Station (SCP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) → McMurray, PA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From SCP6 — State College Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 12 mi, ~19m 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	3h 33m	2h 50m	5h 48m	3h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$25	$13
Carbon footprint	60 kg CO₂	31 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 State College, PA to McMurray, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.