Drive or Fly: Pittsburgh, PA to Pine Grove, 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 PIT–LNS. At 238 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 39m

Distance

238.7 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

96 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51

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 27m

23m in the air

Air Distance

190 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pittsburgh, PA → PIT 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LNS → Pine Grove, PA 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Pine Grove, PA LNS — Lancaster Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIT and LNS. 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

7h 32m

5h 52m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

14 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pittsburgh, PA → Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 352m

Arrival 10m

Elizabethtown Amtrak Station → Pine Grove, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Pittsburgh Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Elizabethtown Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 40m

5h 15m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pittsburgh, PA → Pittsburgh Intermodal Station (PGH6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 315m

Arrival 10m

Reading (BARTA Transportation Center) (6RA) → Pine Grove, PA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From PGH6 — Pittsburgh Intermodal Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 6RA — Reading (BARTA Transportation Center) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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 27m	7h 32m	6h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$86	$183	$36	$24
Carbon footprint	96 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	14 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 26, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

238.7 mi 4h 39m

via I 76; PATP, I 81, I 376; US 22; US 30

Shortest (+32 min)

231.9 mi 5h 11m

via I 70; I 76; PATP, US 30, I 81

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