Drive or Fly: Ballardvale, MA to Lynn, 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 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

35m

Distance

19.7 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 33m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ballardvale, MA → BED 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BOS → Lynn, MA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Ballardvale, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 13 mi, ~19m drive

Lynn, MA BOS — Boston Logan International Airport 8 mi, ~12m 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 25m

21m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ballardvale, MA → Woburn Amtrak Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 21m

Arrival 10m

Boston → Lynn, MA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Woburn Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Boston 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~46/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 37m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ballardvale, MA → Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) (6LW) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Boston (South Station) (BOS6) → Lynn, MA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 6LW — Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) 8 mi, ~12m drive

To BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 10 mi, ~15m 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	35m	2h 33m	1h 25m	1h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$2	$3
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 15, 2026.

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