Drive or Fly: West Scarborough, ME to Sanford, 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 PWM–PSM. At 24 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

24.4 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

10 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

2h 51m

3m in the air

Air Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Scarborough, ME → PWM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PSM → Sanford, ME 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

West Scarborough, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 7 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and PSM. 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 33m

26m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Scarborough, ME → Old Orchard Beach Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 26m

Arrival 10m

Wells → Sanford, ME 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Old Orchard Beach Amtrak 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Wells 12 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 29m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Scarborough, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 8 mi, ~12m drive

To WLS6 — Wells Transportation Center 12 mi, ~17m 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	39m	2h 51m	1h 33m	1h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	10 kg CO₂	5 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 12, 2026.

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