Drive or Fly: Watertown, MA to Plymouth, 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 BED–EWB. At 47 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 7m

Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 55m

5m in the air

Air Distance

39 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Watertown, MA → BED 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EWB → Plymouth, MA 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Watertown, MA BED — Laurence G Hanscom Field 9 mi, ~13m drive

Plymouth, MA EWB — New Bedford Regional Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BED and EWB. 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 44m

9m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Watertown, MA → Boston 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 9m

Arrival 10m

Route 128 Amtrak Station → Plymouth, MA 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Boston 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Route 128 Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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 50m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus 2619

Door-to-Door Timeline

Watertown, MA → Cambridge (MA) (6CM) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Boston (South Station) (BOS6) → Plymouth, MA 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From 6CM — Cambridge (MA) 3 mi, ~10m drive

To BOS6 — Boston (South Station) 34 mi, ~50m 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 7m	2h 55m	1h 44m	1h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$122	$2	$1
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	0 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 Watertown, MA to Plymouth, MA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.