Drive or Fly: Union, NJ to North Plainfield, 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 EWR–EWR. At 10 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

20m

Distance

10.8 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

4 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 32m

1m in the air

Air Distance

10 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union, NJ → EWR 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EWR → North Plainfield, NJ 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Union, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

North Plainfield, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 14 mi, ~21m 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 9m

9m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union, NJ → Newark Liberty International Airport 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 9m

Arrival 10m

Metropark Amtrak Station → North Plainfield, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Newark Liberty International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Metropark Amtrak Station 7 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 29m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union, NJ → Newark (NJ) (NWK6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

New Brunswick (Downtown) (6RU) → North Plainfield, NJ 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From NWK6 — Newark (NJ) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To 6RU — New Brunswick (Downtown) 9 mi, ~14m 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	20m	2h 32m	1h 9m	1h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$2	$2
Carbon footprint	4 kg CO₂	2 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Union, NJ to North Plainfield, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.