Drive or Fly: Fitchburg, MA to Lowell, 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 ORH–BED. At 31 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

46m

Distance

31.5 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

13 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 53m

3m in the air

Air Distance

25 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, MA → ORH 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BED → Lowell, MA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Fitchburg, MA ORH — Worcester Regional Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Lowell, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORH 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 45m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, MA → Fitchburg MA (FIT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) (6LW) → Lowell, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From FIT6 — Fitchburg MA 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 6LW — Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) 0 mi, ~10m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	46m	2h 53m	1h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	6 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: 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 18, 2026.

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