Drive or Fly: Tonawanda, NY to Amherst, 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 IAG–BUF. At 6 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

12m

Distance

6.6 mi

Total Cost

$36

CO2

3 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$1

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 21m

1m in the air

Air Distance

5 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tonawanda, NY → IAG 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Tonawanda, NY IAG — Niagara Falls International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Amherst, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAG and BUF. 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 16m

11m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tonawanda, NY → Buffalo 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 11m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo Depew Station → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Buffalo 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Buffalo Depew 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 4m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus N2686

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tonawanda, NY → Buffalo (BUF) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo Niagara International Airport (6BN) → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From BUF — Buffalo 9 mi, ~14m drive

To 6BN — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 5 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	12m	2h 21m	1h 16m	1h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$36	$120	$2	$1
Carbon footprint	3 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	0 kg CO₂	0 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 12, 2026.

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