Drive or Fly: Amherst, NY to New Hempstead, 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 BUF–HPN. At 348 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 18m

Distance

348.9 mi

Total Cost

$112

CO2

141 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$77

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 10m

33m in the air

Air Distance

275 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amherst, NY → BUF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HPN → New Hempstead, NY 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

New Hempstead, NY HPN — Westchester County Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUF and HPN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 8m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 11m

7h 8m on rail

Total Cost

$55

CO2

16 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amherst, NY → Buffalo Depew Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 428m

Arrival 10m

Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station → New Hempstead, NY 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $55) $55

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

Stations

From Buffalo Depew Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Croton-Harmon Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~13m 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	7h 18m	3h 10m	8h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$112	$186	$55
Carbon footprint	141 kg CO₂	70 kg CO₂	16 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 19, 2026.

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