Drive or Fly: State College, PA to Willistown, 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–PHL. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 42m

Distance

172.7 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 48m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

State College, PA → SCE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHL → Willistown, PA 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Willistown, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SCE and PHL. 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 20m

2h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

State College, PA → Lewistown Amtrak Station 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 179m

Arrival 10m

Paoli Amtrak Station → Willistown, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Lewistown Amtrak Station 20 mi, ~31m drive

To Paoli Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 42m	2h 48m	4h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$23
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	35 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 — 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from State College, PA to Willistown, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.