Drive or Fly: Barre, MA to Boston, 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 ORH–BOS. At 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 37m

Distance

66.2 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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

6m in the air

Air Distance

54 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barre, MA → ORH 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BOS → Boston, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Barre, MA ORH — Worcester Regional Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Boston, MA BOS — Boston Logan International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORH 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

2h 19m

1h on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barre, MA → Worcester Union Station 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Boston → Boston, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Worcester Union Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Boston 0 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 35m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barre, MA → Athol MA (ATL6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Boston (South Station) (BOS6) → Boston, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From ATL6 — Athol MA 13 mi, ~20m drive

To BOS6 — Boston (South 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	1h 37m	2h 40m	2h 19m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$8	$7
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

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