Drive or Fly: Oakdale, PA to Pittsburgh, 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 AVP–PIT. At 256 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 21m

Distance

256.3 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

104 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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 24m

26m in the air

Air Distance

217 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, PA → AVP 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIT → Pittsburgh, PA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Oakdale, PA AVP — Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Pittsburgh, PA PIT — Pittsburgh International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AVP and PIT. 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

8h 45m

6h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oakdale, PA → Lancaster 102m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 373m

Arrival 10m

Pittsburgh Amtrak Station → Pittsburgh, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Lancaster 68 mi, ~102m drive

To Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m 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	5h 21m	3h 24m	8h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$184	$39
Carbon footprint	104 kg CO₂	55 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

256.3 mi 5h 20m

via I 80, US 22, I 99; US 220

Alternative (+8 min)

270.6 mi 5h 28m

via I 80, PA 28, PA 28; PA 66

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