Drive or Fly: New Braintree, MA to Springfield, 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–BDL. At 36 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

51m

Distance

36.6 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

15 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 41m

3m in the air

Air Distance

28 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Braintree, MA → ORH 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → Springfield, MA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

New Braintree, MA ORH — Worcester Regional Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Springfield, MA BDL — Bradley International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORH and BDL. 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 31m

1h 15m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Lake Shore Limited

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Braintree, MA → Worcester Union Station 26m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Springfield → Springfield, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Worcester Union Station 17 mi, ~26m drive

To Springfield 0 mi, ~10m 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

1h 46m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0270s

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Braintree, MA → Sturbridge (New England Truck Stop) (STD6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Springfield Union Station (SPM6) → Springfield, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From STD6 — Sturbridge (New England Truck Stop) 14 mi, ~21m drive

To SPM6 — Springfield Union Station 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	51m	2h 41m	2h 31m	1h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$8	$3
Carbon footprint	15 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 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 15, 2026.

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