Drive or Fly: Saco, ME to South Berwick, 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 30 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

45m

Distance

30 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 37m

3m in the air

Air Distance

26 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saco, ME → PWM 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PSM → South Berwick, ME 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Saco, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 12 mi, ~18m drive

South Berwick, ME PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 11 mi, ~16m 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

1h 37m

37m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saco, ME → Saco Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 37m

Arrival 10m

Dover → South Berwick, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Saco Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Dover 4 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

2h 7m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saco, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Portsmouth Bus Stop (PTM6) → South Berwick, ME 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 13 mi, ~20m drive

To PTM6 — Portsmouth Bus Stop 11 mi, ~17m 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	45m	2h 37m	1h 37m	2h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$6	$5
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	7 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

30 mi 44m

via I 95, North Berwick Road, ME 4

Alternative (+3 min)

33.3 mi 47m

via ME 4, ME 111

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saco, ME to South Berwick, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.