Drive or Fly: Biddeford, ME to Bucksport, ME?

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 PWM–BGR. At 137 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 50m

Distance

137.6 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31
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 56m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → PWM 19m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 13m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BGR → Bucksport, ME 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Biddeford, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 13 mi, ~19m drive
Bucksport, ME BGR — Bangor International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and BGR. 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

3h 53m

1h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$8

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → Saco Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 72m
Arrival 10m
Brunswick Amtrak Station → Bucksport, ME 111m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Saco Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive
To Brunswick Amtrak Station 74 mi, ~111m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~90/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

3h 28m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus N2615

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 21m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 140m
Arrival 10m
Bangor Park & Ride (BGV6) → Bucksport, ME 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 14 mi, ~21m drive
To BGV6 — Bangor Park & Ride 15 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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 2h 50m 2h 56m 3h 53m 3h 28m
Total cost (1 person) $66 $124 $8 $12
Carbon footprint 56 kg CO2 28 kg CO2 2 kg CO2 6 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Biddeford, ME to Bucksport, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.