Drive or Fly: City of Manchester, NH to Laconia, 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–MHT. At 45 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 3m

Distance

45.1 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

18 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 17m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Manchester, NH → MHT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MHT → Laconia, NH 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

City of Manchester, NH MHT — Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Laconia, NH MHT — Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MHT and MHT. 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 53m

42m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Manchester, NH → Haverhill Amtrak 35m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 42m

Arrival 10m

Dover → Laconia, NH 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Haverhill Amtrak 23 mi, ~35m drive

To Dover 37 mi, ~56m 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

1h 33m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0260

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Manchester, NH → Manchester(Veterans Memorial Park) (MAN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Concord (Concord Coach Lines) (CNH6) → Laconia, NH 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From MAN6 — Manchester(Veterans Memorial Park) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To CNH6 — Concord (Concord Coach Lines) 22 mi, ~33m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 3m	3h 17m	2h 53m	1h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$122	$6	$2
Carbon footprint	18 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	2 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, 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 City of Manchester, NH to Laconia, NH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.