Drive or Fly: Medway, MA to Waltham, 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–BED. At 25 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

45m

Distance

25.8 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

10 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 48m

2m in the air

Air Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Medway, MA → BED 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BED → Waltham, MA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Medway, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 23 mi, ~35m drive

Waltham, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BED 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 31m

24m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

Medway, MA → Framingham Amtrak 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 24m

Arrival 10m

Boston → Waltham, MA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Framingham Amtrak 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Boston 8 mi, ~13m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	45m	2h 48m	1h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$4
Carbon footprint	10 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

22.2 mi 43m

via MA 16

Alternative (+9 min)

29.9 mi 52m

via I 90

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