Drive or Fly: Brockton, MA to Shirley, 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 BOS–BED. At 56 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 25m

Distance

56.9 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 3m

5m in the air

Air Distance

45 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brockton, MA → BOS 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BED → Shirley, MA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Brockton, MA BOS — Boston Logan International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Shirley, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BOS 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 28m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brockton, MA → Boston (South Station) (BOS6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Ayer MA (DVN6) → Shirley, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To DVN6 — Ayer MA 3 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 25m	3h 3m	2h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$3
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 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 Brockton, MA to Shirley, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.