Drive or Fly: Waterbury, CT to Wilton, CT?

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 HVN–HPN. At 42 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

42.7 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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

4m in the air

Air Distance

32 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterbury, CT → HVN 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HPN → Wilton, CT 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Waterbury, CT HVN — Tweed New Haven Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Wilton, CT HPN — Westchester County Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HVN and HPN. 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 52m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterbury, CT → Meriden 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Stamford Amtrak Station → Wilton, CT 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Meriden 13 mi, ~20m drive

To Stamford Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 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	1h	3h 2m	2h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$10
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	3 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Waterbury, CT to Wilton, CT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.