Drive or Fly: Reading, PA to Valley Green, 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 LNS–MDT. At 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

66.3 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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

2h 53m

6m in the air

Air Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Reading, PA → LNS 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → Valley Green, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Reading, PA LNS — Lancaster Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Valley Green, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LNS and MDT. 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

2h 21m

54m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Keystone Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Reading, PA → Coatesville Amtrak 37m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 54m

Arrival 10m

Middletown → Valley Green, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Coatesville Amtrak 25 mi, ~37m drive

To Middletown 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~93/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 58m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus N2642

Door-to-Door Timeline

Reading, PA → Reading (BARTA Transportation Center) (6RA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg Bus Station (HBG6) → Valley Green, PA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From 6RA — Reading (BARTA Transportation Center) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To HBG6 — Harrisburg Bus Station 9 mi, ~13m 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	1h 25m	2h 53m	2h 21m	1h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$10	$6
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

66.3 mi 1h 24m

via I 76; PATP, US 222

Alternative (+8 min)

78.3 mi 1h 33m

via I 76; PATP, I 176

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