Drive or Fly: Lowville, NY to Buffalo, 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 ART–BUF. At 230 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 39m

Distance

230.9 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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 19m

22m in the air

Air Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lowville, NY → ART 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BUF → Buffalo, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lowville, NY ART — Watertown International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

Buffalo, NY BUF — Buffalo Niagara International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ART and BUF. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 9m

3h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

13 kg

Route

Maple Leaf

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lowville, NY → Rome Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 209m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo → Buffalo, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Rome Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Buffalo 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 5m

4h 40m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lowville, NY → Utica Bus Stop (UTI6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Buffalo (BUF) → Buffalo, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From UTI6 — Utica Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To BUF — Buffalo 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	4h 39m	3h 19m	5h 9m	6h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$182	$35	$20
Carbon footprint	93 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	13 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 25, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

230.9 mi 4h 39m

via I 90, I 81, NY 177

Shortest (+15 min)

223.5 mi 4h 55m

via NY 104, I 90, I 81

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