Drive or Fly: Springfield, MA to South Amherst, 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 BDL–BDL. At 21 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

37m

Distance

21 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 4m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, MA → BDL 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BDL → South Amherst, MA 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

South Amherst, MA BDL — Bradley International Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BDL 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

1h 42m

42m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, MA → Springfield 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 42m

Arrival 10m

Northampton → South Amherst, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Springfield 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Northampton 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 30m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0256S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

University of Massachusetts Amherst (AMH6) → South Amherst, MA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From SPM6 — Springfield Union Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To AMH6 — University of Massachusetts Amherst 3 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	37m	3h 4m	1h 42m	1h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$3	$2
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

21 mi 36m

via I 391, Amherst Street

Alternative (+4 min)

22.3 mi 40m

via West Street, I 291; US 20, Amherst Street

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