Drive or Fly: Randolph, NY to New York City, 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 BFD–LGA. At 379 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 39m

Distance

379.5 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

153 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$92

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 30m

33m in the air

Air Distance

276 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Randolph, NY → BFD 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGA → New York City, NY 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Randolph, NY BFD — Bradford Regional Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 9m 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

10h 5m

8h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

22 kg

Route

Empire Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Randolph, NY → Buffalo (BFX) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 505m

Arrival 10m

Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station (NYP) → New York City, NY 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From BFX — Buffalo 0 mi, ~30m drive

To NYP — Ny Moynihan Train Hall At Penn Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 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	7h 39m	3h 30m	10h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$127	$186	$58
Carbon footprint	153 kg CO₂	70 kg CO₂	22 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 Oct 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

379.5 mi 7h 39m

via I 86; NY 17, I 80, I 81

Alternative (+2 min)

379.7 mi 7h 41m

via I 80, US 219, I 86; NY 17

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