Drive or Fly: West Caldwell, NJ to Union City, 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–TEB. At 21 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

28m

Distance

21.4 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 31m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Caldwell, NJ → EWR 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TEB → Union City, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Union City, NJ TEB — Teterboro Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWR and TEB. 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 24m

19m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Acela

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Caldwell, NJ → Newark 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 19m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station → Union City, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Newark 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~84/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

1h 25m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus 2619

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

New York (Hudson Yards) (6NYY) → Union City, NJ 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

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

To 6NYY — New York (Hudson Yards) 2 mi, ~10m 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	28m	2h 31m	1h 24m	1h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$2	$1
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	0 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 14, 2026.

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