Drive or Fly: Gorham, ME to Eliot, 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–PSM. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 7m

Distance

52.3 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 26m

5m in the air

Air Distance

41 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gorham, ME → PWM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PSM → Eliot, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Eliot, ME PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and PSM. 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 1m

59m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gorham, ME → Portland 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 59m

Arrival 10m

Dover → Eliot, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Portland 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Dover 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~46/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 53m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gorham, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Portsmouth Bus Stop (PTM6) → Eliot, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 9 mi, ~13m drive

To PTM6 — Portsmouth Bus Stop 6 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 7m	2h 26m	2h 1m	1h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	3 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 Gorham, ME to Eliot, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.