Drive or Fly: Manchester, VT to Shelburne, 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 RUT–BTV. At 92 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 30m

Distance

92.9 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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

10m in the air

Air Distance

84 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manchester, VT → RUT 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BTV → Shelburne, VT 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Manchester, VT RUT — Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Shelburne, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RUT and BTV. 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

5h 3m

3h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Ethan Allen Express

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manchester, VT → Fort Edward Amtrak 40m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 213m

Arrival 10m

Burlington → Shelburne, VT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Fort Edward Amtrak 27 mi, ~40m drive

To Burlington 7 mi, ~10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 30m	3h	5h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$17
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

92.9 mi 2h 29m

via US 7, VT 7A

Alternative (+3 min)

93.7 mi 2h 33m

via Vermont Route 22A North, US 7, VT 30

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