Drive or Fly: Ayer, MA to Quincy, 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 BED–BOS. At 44 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 14m

Distance

44.8 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

18 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 40m

4m in the air

Air Distance

37 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ayer, MA → BED 25m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BOS → Quincy, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Ayer, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 17 mi, ~25m drive

Quincy, MA BOS — Boston Logan International Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BED and BOS. 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

1h 55m

32m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ayer, MA → Framingham Amtrak 32m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 32m

Arrival 10m

Boston → Quincy, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Framingham Amtrak 22 mi, ~32m drive

To Boston 7 mi, ~11m 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

2h 6m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ayer, MA → Ayer MA (DVN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Boston (South Station) (BOS6) → Quincy, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From DVN6 — Ayer MA 0 mi, ~10m drive

To BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 7 mi, ~11m 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	1h 14m	2h 40m	1h 55m	2h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	18 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

44.8 mi 1h 13m

via MA 2, I 93, MA 2; MA 2A

Alternative (+0 min)

50.3 mi 1h 13m

via US 3, I 495, I 93; US 1; MA 3

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