Drive or Fly: Salem, MA to Lawrence, 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 BOS–BED. At 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

19.6 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 46m

2m in the air

Air Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salem, MA → BOS 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BED → Lawrence, MA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Salem, MA BOS — Boston Logan International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Lawrence, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 18 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BOS 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

2h 10m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salem, MA → Woburn Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Haverhill Amtrak → Lawrence, MA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Woburn Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Haverhill Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~90/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 10m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salem, MA → Boston (South Station) (BOS6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) (6LW) → Lawrence, MA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 6LW — Robert B Kennedy Bus Transfer Center (Lowell, MA) 0 mi, ~30m 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	39m	2h 46m	2h 10m	2h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 Salem, MA to Lawrence, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.