Drive or Fly: Waterville, ME to Bar Harbor, 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 AUG–BHB. At 102 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 19m

Distance

102.5 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 49m

9m in the air

Air Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterville, ME → AUG 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHB → Bar Harbor, ME 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Waterville, ME AUG — Augusta State Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Bar Harbor, ME BHB — Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AUG and BHB. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 30m

54m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterville, ME → Waterville (J & S Oil Co) (WAV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 54m

Arrival 10m

Bangor Park & Ride (BGV6) → Bar Harbor, ME 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From WAV6 — Waterville (J & S Oil Co) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To BGV6 — Bangor Park & Ride 41 mi, ~61m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 19m	2h 49m	2h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$5
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	3 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: 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 16, 2026.

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