Drive or Fly: Biddeford, ME to Searsmont, 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–RKD. At 111 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 19m

Distance

111.4 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

45 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

3h 1m

10m in the air

Air Distance

87 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → PWM 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RKD → Searsmont, ME 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Biddeford, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Searsmont, ME RKD — Knox County Regional Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and RKD. 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

3h 15m

1h 11m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → Saco Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 71m

Arrival 10m

Brunswick Amtrak Station → Searsmont, ME 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Saco Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Brunswick Amtrak Station 49 mi, ~74m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~69/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 26m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Biddeford, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Waterville (J & S Oil Co) (WAV6) → Searsmont, ME 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 14 mi, ~21m drive

To WAV6 — Waterville (J & S Oil Co) 27 mi, ~40m 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	2h 19m	3h 1m	3h 15m	3h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$8	$8
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	2 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

111.4 mi 2h 19m

via I 295, US 202; ME 3; ME 9, I 95

Alternative (+2 min)

116.8 mi 2h 21m

via I 95, US 202; ME 3; ME 9, ME 3

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