Drive or Fly: Stratford, NJ to Toms River, NJ?

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 PHL–TTN. At 49 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 18m

Distance

49.7 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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

3h 23m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stratford, NJ → PHL 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TTN → Toms River, NJ 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Stratford, NJ PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 12 mi, ~19m drive

Toms River, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and TTN. 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 24m

35m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stratford, NJ → Philadelphia 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Princeton Junction Amtrak Station → Toms River, NJ 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Philadelphia 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 18m	3h 23m	2h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$8
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

49.7 mi 1h 18m

via NJ 70, NJ 70 East, CR 530; CR 539

Alternative (+4 min)

54 mi 1h 22m

via NJ 38, CR 530, I 295

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Stratford, NJ to Toms River, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.