Drive or Fly: Fair Haven, NJ to Lakewood, 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 JFK–TTN. At 26 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

26.5 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 28m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fair Haven, NJ → JFK 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TTN → Lakewood, NJ 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Fair Haven, NJ JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport 24 mi, ~35m drive

Lakewood, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JFK 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 12m

22m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fair Haven, NJ → Metropark Amtrak Station 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 22m

Arrival 10m

Princeton Junction Amtrak Station → Lakewood, NJ 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Metropark Amtrak Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

To Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 26 mi, ~39m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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 31m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2609

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fair Haven, NJ → Brooklyn (3 Av/38th St) (6BRO) 31m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

New Brunswick (Downtown) (6RU) → Lakewood, NJ 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 6BRO — Brooklyn (3 Av/38th St) 20 mi, ~31m drive

To 6RU — New Brunswick (Downtown) 30 mi, ~45m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	39m	3h 28m	2h 12m	2h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$5	$3
Carbon footprint	11 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

26.5 mi 39m

via GSP, CR 547

Alternative (+7 min)

26.8 mi 46m

via US 9, CR 537

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fair Haven, NJ to Lakewood, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.