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Drive or Fly: Brookline, NH to Rochester, NH?

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 MHT–PSM. At 67 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 41m

Distance

67.7 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15
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 59m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brookline, NH → MHT 27m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 6m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
PSM → Rochester, NH 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Brookline, NH MHT — Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive
Rochester, NH PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MHT and PSM. 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

2h 19m

42m on rail

Total Cost

$6

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brookline, NH → Haverhill Amtrak 44m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 42m
Arrival 10m
Dover → Rochester, NH 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Haverhill Amtrak 29 mi, ~44m drive
To Dover 9 mi, ~13m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 1h 41m 2h 59m 2h 19m
Total cost (1 person) $50 $122 $6
Carbon footprint 27 kg CO2 13 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: Amtrak 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
67.7 mi 1h 41m

via NH 101, NH 125, NH 13

Shortest (+6 min)
63.7 mi 1h 47m

via NH 101, US 202, US 202; NH 9

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Brookline, NH to Rochester, NH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.