Drive or Fly: Harvard, MA to Quincy, 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 BED–BOS. At 48 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

58m

Distance

48.8 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 38m

4m in the air

Air Distance

34 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harvard, MA → BED 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BOS → Quincy, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Harvard, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 15 mi, ~23m drive

Quincy, MA BOS — Boston Logan International Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BED and BOS. 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

1h 49m

32m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harvard, MA → Framingham Amtrak 26m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 32m

Arrival 10m

Boston → Quincy, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Framingham Amtrak 18 mi, ~26m drive

To Boston 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 6m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harvard, MA → Ayer MA (DVN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Boston (South Station) (BOS6) → Quincy, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From DVN6 — Ayer MA 4 mi, ~10m drive

To BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 7 mi, ~11m 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	58m	2h 38m	1h 49m	2h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	2 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 Harvard, MA to Quincy, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.