Drive or Fly: West Brattleboro, VT to Colchester, VT?

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 RUT–BTV. At 153 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

153.3 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 39m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Brattleboro, VT → RUT 75m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTV → Colchester, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

West Brattleboro, VT RUT — Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport 50 mi, ~75m drive

Colchester, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RUT and BTV. 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 22m

3h 22m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Brattleboro, VT → Brattleboro Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 202m

Arrival 10m

Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station → Colchester, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Brattleboro Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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 5m	3h 39m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$23
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 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 West Brattleboro, VT to Colchester, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.