Drive or Fly: Vienna, 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 SYR–BUF. At 175 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 30m

Distance

175.3 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 2m

19m in the air

Air Distance

157 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vienna, NY → SYR 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Vienna, NY SYR — Syracuse Hancock International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SYR 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

4h 30m

3h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vienna, NY → Rome Amtrak Station 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo Depew Station → Amherst, NY 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Rome Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~20m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 30m	3h 2m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$33
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	10 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 15, 2026.

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