Drive or Fly: City of Portland, ME to Pittsfield, 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–BGR. At 99 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 14m

Distance

99.3 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Portland, ME → PWM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BGR → Pittsfield, ME 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Pittsfield, ME BGR — Bangor International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and BGR. 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

3h 15m

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 → Pittsfield, ME 100m

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 67 mi, ~100m 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 8m

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) → Pittsfield, ME 33m

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) 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	2h 14m	3h 3m	3h 15m	3h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$124	$5	$8
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	22 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from City of Portland, ME to Pittsfield, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.