Drive or Fly: Sanford, ME to Lake Arrowhead, 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–PWM. At 20 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

42m

Distance

20.4 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 12m

2m in the air

Air Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sanford, ME → PSM 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PWM → Lake Arrowhead, ME 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Lake Arrowhead, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PSM and PWM. 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 42m

17m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sanford, ME → Wells 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 17m

Arrival 10m

Saco Amtrak Station → Lake Arrowhead, ME 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Wells 12 mi, ~17m drive

To Saco Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~28m 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

1h 51m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

City of Portland (PVT6) → Lake Arrowhead, ME 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

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

To PVT6 — City of Portland 23 mi, ~34m 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	42m	3h 12m	1h 42m	1h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$3	$3
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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 17, 2026.

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