Drive or Fly: Unity, ME to South Portland, 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 BGR–PWM. At 95 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 41m

Distance

95.3 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 2m

10m in the air

Air Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Unity, ME → BGR 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PWM → South Portland, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Unity, ME BGR — Bangor International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

South Portland, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BGR 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

2h 59m

43m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Unity, ME → Brunswick Amtrak Station 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 43m

Arrival 10m

Portland → South Portland, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Brunswick Amtrak Station 58 mi, ~86m drive

To Portland 3 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

3h 1m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Unity, ME → Waterville (J & S Oil Co) (WAV6) 26m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

City of Portland (PVT6) → South Portland, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From WAV6 — Waterville (J & S Oil Co) 17 mi, ~26m drive

To PVT6 — City of Portland 2 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	1h 41m	3h 2m	2h 59m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$5	$8
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	4 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 13, 2026.

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