Drive or Fly: Saint Marys, PA to Harrisburg, 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 DUJ–MDT. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 37m

Distance

162.4 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 4m

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, PA → DUJ 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDT → Harrisburg, PA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Saint Marys, PA DUJ — DuBois Regional Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Harrisburg, PA MDT — Harrisburg International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DUJ 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

4h 47m

2h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Pennsylvanian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, PA → Tyrone Amtrak 83m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 154m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg → Harrisburg, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Tyrone Amtrak 55 mi, ~83m drive

To Harrisburg 1 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 41m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2640

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Marys, PA → State College Regional Airport (SCA6) 81m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Harrisburg Bus Station (HBG6) → Harrisburg, PA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From SCA6 — State College Regional Airport 54 mi, ~81m drive

To HBG6 — Harrisburg Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	3h 37m	3h 4m	4h 47m	3h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$15	$7
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

162.4 mi 3h 37m

via US 322; PA 144 Truck, US 322, PA 255

Alternative (+32 min)

195.9 mi 4h 9m

via I 80, US 11; US 15, PA 255

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