Drive or Fly: City of Lowell, MA to Arlington, 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 BED–BED. At 21 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

30m

Distance

21.4 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 32m

2m in the air

Air Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Lowell, MA → BED 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BED → Arlington, MA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

City of Lowell, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 12 mi, ~18m drive

Arlington, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BED 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 30m

21m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Lowell, MA → Woburn Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 21m

Arrival 10m

Boston → Arlington, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Woburn Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~19m drive

To Boston 6 mi, ~10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	30m	2h 32m	1h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from City of Lowell, MA to Arlington, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.