Drive or Fly: Sanford, ME to Appleton, 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 PSM–RKD. At 116 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 35m

Distance

116.7 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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

3h 16m

12m in the air

Air Distance

96 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sanford, ME → PSM 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RKD → Appleton, ME 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Sanford, ME PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease 25 mi, ~38m drive

Appleton, ME RKD — Knox County Regional Airport 18 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PSM and RKD. 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

3h 32m

1h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sanford, ME → Wells 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 89m

Arrival 10m

Brunswick Amtrak Station → Appleton, ME 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Wells 12 mi, ~17m drive

To Brunswick Amtrak Station 44 mi, ~66m 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

4h 13m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sanford, ME → Wells Transportation Center (WLS6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

Waterville (J & S Oil Co) (WAV6) → Appleton, ME 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From WLS6 — Wells Transportation Center 12 mi, ~17m drive

To WAV6 — Waterville (J & S Oil Co) 27 mi, ~41m 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	2h 35m	3h 16m	3h 32m	4h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$10	$11
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	6 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

116.7 mi 2h 34m

via I 295, I 95, ME 17

Alternative (+3 min)

122.5 mi 2h 37m

via I 95, ME 17, ME 111

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