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Drive or Fly: Colchester, VT to Newfane, 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 BTV–RUT. At 154 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 16m

Distance

154.7 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33
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 24m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colchester, VT → BTV 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 13m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
RUT → Newfane, VT 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Colchester, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive
Newfane, VT RUT — Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport 40 mi, ~61m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTV and RUT. 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 27m

3h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colchester, VT → Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 201m
Arrival 10m
Brattleboro Amtrak Station → Newfane, VT 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive
To Brattleboro Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m 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 16m 3h 24m 4h 27m
Total cost (1 person) $68 $124 $23
Carbon footprint 62 kg CO2 28 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
154.7 mi 3h 15m

via I 89, I 91, VT 289

Shortest (+18 min)
131.3 mi 3h 34m

via US 7, VT 116, VT 30; VT 100

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Colchester, VT to Newfane, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.