Drive or Fly: New York City, NY to Waterville, 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 LGA–ART. At 312 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 31m

Distance

312.4 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

126 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69

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 7m

28m in the air

Air Distance

231 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

59 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → LGA 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ART → Waterville, NY 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New York City, NY LGA — LaGuardia Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Waterville, NY ART — Watertown International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGA and ART. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 24m 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

6h 45m

4h 48m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

New York City, NY → Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 288m

Arrival 10m

Rome Amtrak Station → Waterville, NY 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Rome Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~67m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 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	6h 31m	3h 7m	6h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$104	$184	$37
Carbon footprint	126 kg CO₂	59 kg CO₂	11 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

312.4 mi 6h 30m

via I 81, I 80, I 380

Shortest (+11 min)

302.8 mi 6h 42m

via NY 17, I 90, NJ 17

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New York City, NY to Waterville, NY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.