Drive or Fly: Staten Island, NY to Charleston, 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 EWR–EWR. At 7 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

19m

Distance

7.8 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

3 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$2

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 31m

1m in the air

Air Distance

5 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Staten Island, NY → EWR 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EWR → Charleston, NY 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Staten Island, NY EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Charleston, NY EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWR and EWR. 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

1h 13m

9m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Staten Island, NY → Newark Liberty International Airport 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 9m

Arrival 10m

Metropark Amtrak Station → Charleston, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Newark Liberty International Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

To Metropark Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 46m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2609

Door-to-Door Timeline

Staten Island, NY → Brooklyn (3 Av/38th St) (6BRO) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

New Brunswick (Downtown) (6RU) → Charleston, NY 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 6BRO — Brooklyn (3 Av/38th St) 9 mi, ~14m drive

To 6RU — New Brunswick (Downtown) 11 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~19/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	19m	2h 31m	1h 13m	1h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$2	$3
Carbon footprint	3 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

7.8 mi 19m

Shortest (+0 min)

7.3 mi 19m

via Arthur Kill Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Staten Island, NY to Charleston, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.