Drive or Fly: Boothbay Harbor, ME to Lewiston, 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 RKD–AUG. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 13m

Distance

52.3 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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

3h 28m

4m in the air

Air Distance

34 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boothbay Harbor, ME → RKD 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUG → Lewiston, ME 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Boothbay Harbor, ME RKD — Knox County Regional Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

Lewiston, ME AUG — Augusta State Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RKD and AUG. 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 53m

13m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boothbay Harbor, ME → Brunswick Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 13m

Arrival 10m

Freeport Amtrak Station → Lewiston, ME 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Brunswick Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Freeport Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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 30m

5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boothbay Harbor, ME → Lewiston (Bates Coll) (BTS6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 5m

Arrival 10m

Lewiston Bus Stop (LEW6) → Lewiston, ME 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $0) $0

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

Stations

From BTS6 — Lewiston (Bates Coll) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To LEW6 — Lewiston Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 13m	3h 28m	1h 53m	1h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$121	$2	$0
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	3 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 13, 2026.

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