Drive or Fly: Lower Gwynedd, PA to Philadelphia, PA?

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 PHL–PHL. At 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

35m

Distance

19.7 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 44m

2m in the air

Air Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lower Gwynedd, PA → PHL 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHL → Philadelphia, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Lower Gwynedd, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

Philadelphia, PA PHL — Philadelphia International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHL and PHL. 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 23m

15m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lower Gwynedd, PA → Ardmore Amtrak Station 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Philadelphia → Philadelphia, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Ardmore Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Philadelphia 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~67/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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	35m	2h 44m	1h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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 27, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

19.7 mi 35m

via PA 309

Alternative (+3 min)

24.5 mi 39m

via I 76, I 476

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lower Gwynedd, PA to Philadelphia, PA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.