Drive or Fly: West Scarborough, ME to Sidney, 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–AUG. At 72 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

72.8 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 29m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Scarborough, ME → PWM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AUG → Sidney, ME 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Sidney, ME AUG — Augusta State Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and AUG. 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 50m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Scarborough, ME → Old Orchard Beach Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Brunswick Amtrak Station → Sidney, ME 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

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

To Brunswick Amtrak Station 37 mi, ~55m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~48/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 47m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus N2615

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Augusta (Concord Coach Lines) (UGU6) → Sidney, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

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

To UGU6 — Augusta (Concord Coach Lines) 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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 32m	2h 29m	2h 50m	1h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$123	$7	$6
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 West Scarborough, ME to Sidney, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.