Drive or Fly: Barre, MA to Lowell, 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–BED. At 51 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

51.5 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 46m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barre, MA → ORH 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BED → Lowell, MA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Lowell, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORH 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 45m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Barre, MA → Athol MA (ATL6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) (6LW) → Lowell, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

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

To 6LW — Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) 0 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 20m	2h 46m	2h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$5
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 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: 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 Lowell, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.