Drive or Fly: West Caldwell, NJ to Toms River, 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–TTN. At 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 38m

Distance

76.7 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 25m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Caldwell, NJ → EWR 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TTN → Toms River, NJ 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

West Caldwell, NJ EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Toms River, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWR and TTN. 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 16m

31m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Caldwell, NJ → Newark 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 31m

Arrival 10m

Princeton Junction Amtrak Station → Toms River, NJ 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Newark 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~19/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 55m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0310

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Caldwell, NJ → Newark (NJ) (NWK6) 15m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Westampton Academy Park & Ride (MAR6) → Toms River, NJ 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From NWK6 — Newark (NJ) 10 mi, ~15m drive

To MAR6 — Westampton Academy Park & Ride 33 mi, ~50m 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	1h 38m	3h 25m	2h 16m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$8	$7
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	2 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, 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Caldwell, NJ to Toms River, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.