Drive or Fly: Toms River, NJ to Salem, NJ?

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 TTN–ILG. At 89 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

89.1 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Toms River, NJ → TTN 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ILG → Salem, NJ 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Toms River, NJ TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

Salem, NJ ILG — Wilmington Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TTN and ILG. 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 52m

1h 4m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Toms River, NJ → Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 50m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 64m

Arrival 10m

Wilmington → Salem, NJ 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Princeton Junction Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

To Wilmington 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~47/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

2h 33m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0310

Door-to-Door Timeline

Toms River, NJ → Westampton Academy Park & Ride (MAR6) 50m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Wilmington Bus Station (WIL6) → Salem, NJ 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From MAR6 — Westampton Academy Park & Ride 33 mi, ~50m drive

To WIL6 — Wilmington Bus Station 12 mi, ~18m 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	2h 1m	3h 24m	2h 52m	2h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$13	$5
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 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 19, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Toms River, NJ to Salem, NJ with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.