Drive or Fly: Biddeford, ME to Union, 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–RKD. At 95 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 4m

Distance

95 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 48m

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → PWM 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RKD → Union, ME 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Biddeford, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Union, ME RKD — Knox County Regional Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and RKD. 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 2m

1h 12m on rail

Total Cost

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 → Union, ME 60m

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 40 mi, ~60m 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

2h 28m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus N2615

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Augusta (Concord Coach Lines) (UGU6) → Union, ME 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 14 mi, ~21m drive

To UGU6 — Augusta (Concord Coach Lines) 28 mi, ~42m 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 4m	2h 48m	3h 2m	2h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$8	$6
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 Biddeford, ME to Union, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.