Drive or Fly: Kingston, NH to Manchester, NH?

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 PSM–MHT. At 28 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

28.2 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 35m

2m in the air

Air Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kingston, NH → PSM 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MHT → Manchester, NH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Kingston, NH PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 15 mi, ~23m drive

Manchester, NH MHT — Manchester-Boston Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PSM and MHT. 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 47m

21m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kingston, NH → Exeter 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 21m

Arrival 10m

Haverhill Amtrak → Manchester, NH 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Exeter 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Haverhill Amtrak 24 mi, ~36m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	39m	2h 35m	1h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$3
Carbon footprint	11 kg CO₂	5 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: Amtrak 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 Kingston, NH to Manchester, NH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.