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Drive or Fly: Elma, NY to Yonkers, 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–TEB. At 362 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 39m

Distance

362.9 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

147 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$88
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

33m in the air

Air Distance

278 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elma, NY → BUF 12m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 33m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
TEB → Yonkers, NY 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Elma, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive
Yonkers, NY TEB — Teterboro Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 39m 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

9h 17m

7h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$57

CO2

21 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elma, NY → Buffalo Depew Station (BUF) 30m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 457m
Arrival 10m
Yonkers Amtrak Station (YNY) → Yonkers, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $57) $57

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

Stations

From BUF — Buffalo Depew Station 0 mi, ~30m drive
To YNY — Yonkers Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets
+ Walk around freely during the trip
+ Scenic views along the route
+ 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 39m 3h 9h 17m
Total cost (1 person) $123 $186 $57
Carbon footprint 147 kg CO2 71 kg CO2 21 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 Oct 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
362.9 mi 7h 39m

via I 86; NY 17, I 86, I 390

Alternative (+3 min)
369.8 mi 7h 43m

via I 86, I 80, I 81

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