Drive or Fly: Acushnet, MA to Waltham, MA?

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 EWB–BED. At 59 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 10m

Distance

59.9 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13
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 27m

6m in the air

Air Distance

51 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Acushnet, MA → EWB 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 6m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BED → Waltham, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Acushnet, MA EWB — New Bedford Regional Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive
Waltham, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EWB and BED. 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 15m

40m on rail

Total Cost

$8

CO2

2 kg

Route

Acela

Door-to-Door Timeline

Acushnet, MA → Providence 42m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 40m
Arrival 10m
Boston → Waltham, MA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Providence 28 mi, ~42m drive
To Boston 8 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~50/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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 1h 10m 2h 27m 2h 15m
Total cost (1 person) $48 $122 $8
Carbon footprint 24 kg CO2 13 kg CO2 2 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 Apr 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Acushnet, MA to Waltham, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.