Drive or Fly: City of Portland, ME to Appleton, 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 PWM–RKD. At 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 18m

Distance

87.5 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 45m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Portland, ME → PWM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RKD → Appleton, ME 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

City of Portland, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Appleton, ME RKD — Knox County Regional Airport 18 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and RKD. 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 41m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Portland, ME → Portland 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Brunswick Amtrak Station → Appleton, ME 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Portland 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Brunswick Amtrak Station 44 mi, ~66m 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

3h 16m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Portland, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Waterville (J & S Oil Co) (WAV6) → Appleton, ME 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 5 mi, ~10m drive

To WAV6 — Waterville (J & S Oil Co) 27 mi, ~41m 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	2h 18m	2h 45m	2h 41m	3h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$5	$8
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	4 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 Portland, ME to Appleton, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.