Drive or Fly: Tarentum, PA to Altoona, 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 PIT–AOO. At 100 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 14m

Distance

100.9 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 12m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tarentum, PA → PIT 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AOO → Altoona, PA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Tarentum, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Altoona, PA AOO — Altoona Blair County Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIT and AOO. 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

3h 43m

2h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tarentum, PA → Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 149m

Arrival 10m

Altoona Amtrak Station → Altoona, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Altoona Amtrak Station 0 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 30m

3h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0400s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tarentum, PA → Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Altoona Bus Station (ALT6) → Altoona, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 16 mi, ~25m drive

To ALT6 — Altoona Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m 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	2h 14m	3h 12m	3h 43m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$17	$9
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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

100.9 mi 2h 13m

via US 422, PA 28, US 22

Shortest (+1 min)

94.4 mi 2h 14m

via US 22, PA 366, PA 66

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