Drive or Fly: Durham, NC to Maine, NC?

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 RDU–GSO. At 101 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

101.5 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 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 20m

11m in the air

Air Distance

92 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, NC → RDU 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GSO → Maine, NC 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Durham, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Maine, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU and GSO. 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 11m

1h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, NC → Durham Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 113m

Arrival 10m

Salisbury → Maine, NC 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Durham Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Salisbury 19 mi, ~28m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 32m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0670

Door-to-Door Timeline

Durham, NC → Durham (4DU) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Salisbury (Citgo) (SLB6) → Maine, NC 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 4DU — Durham 0 mi, ~10m drive

To SLB6 — Salisbury (Citgo) 18 mi, ~27m 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 1m	3h 20m	3h 11m	3h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$124	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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 Durham, NC to Maine, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.