PORTLAND – Take a car for speed. Take a bus for comfort and economy. Take a train to indulge yourself. That’s what three Associated Press reporters found during a race from Portland to the AP office in Boston.

A race wasn’t a novel idea but we thought it was worth doing as Amtrak’s Downeaster approaches its six-month anniversary.

The Downeaster has exceeded projections in each month since the first train rolled out of the station on Dec. 15. Already, there have been more than 135,000 passengers and $2.1 million in ticket sales.

But how does it compare?

The results were predictable: A minivan, a popular people hauler, can travel faster and dart through traffic better than a bus. And a nonstop bus is faster than a train that has to make stops.

But each has its unique advantages. And that’s why we three set off on a bright sunny morning to compare notes.

One reporter boarded the Concord Trailways at 6 a.m. for his first long-distance bus ride in 35 years. I departed on the Downeaster five minutes later. Another reporter roared down the highway in a Dodge Grand Caravan.

The timing was selected for travelers who want to get the most out of their day trip in Boston using the three most common methods of getting there.

Here’s what happened along the way:

The minivan zoomed out of the driveway, hit the Maine Turnpike 10 minutes later and never looked back as Lyle Lovett blared on the tape deck. Potential pitfalls, including blasting that was part of the turnpike widening project, were not factors because of the early hour.

Back in Portland, the bus passenger received a free bottled water, a snack and newspaper and marveled at how much things had changed since 1967 when his recollections of buses involved Army buddies, cigarette smoke and grunge.

Knowing I faced long odds of winning the race, I helped myself to free coffee in the transportation terminal and followed the advice on my Downeaster coffee cup, which said, “Sip Back … Relax.”

With a few toots, the Downeaster pulled away five minutes after the bus and soon the trees became a blur. I decided to fire up my laptop computer. Why? Because I could, thanks to an electrical outlet.

As my competitors enjoyed their views of traffic and road construction, I felt confident that my scenery was better: the Scarborough marsh and fishing boats at Pine Point, and the idled amusement park rides in Old Orchard Beach.

Meanwhile, on the bus, the rider received plastic-wrapped headphones and toggled back and forth between four music channels. Eventually, he settled back to watch the movie, “Forget Paris,” starring Billy Crystal and Debra Winger.

A few miles ahead, the minivan driver’s decision to grab a cup of coffee at the Kennebunk rest stop cost him dearly.

At the York tollbooth, he watched the Transpass-equipped bus take the lead, but he overtook the bus back at the toll plaza in New Hampshire.

Aboard the train, it was time to check out the dining car. Between cars, you push a button and the doors sweep open. This feature could keep my 3-year-old son entertained for quite a while.

In the dining car, I relished the fact that even at this hour, I could order a portobello mushroom sandwich, a cup of Legal Seafoods clam chowder and a Shipyard ale. (I opted for a cup of coffee for $1.50.)

Returning to my seat, I encountered my only problem. As I followed someone else between cars, those spacecraft-like doors closed on me. It startled me and I spilled coffee on my shirt.

It didn’t take long to forget the spill as I enjoyed the bucolic scenery: quaint towns, lily pad-covered ponds and thick woods.

On the highway, the serenity of cruise control gave way to rising blood pressure as the minivan left Interstate 95 and hit traffic alongside the never-ending malls, restaurants, stores and other commercial loveliness called Route 1. The driver, a veteran of the route, knew to make a bathroom stop at a fast-food joint because you don’t want to be caught in a logjam at Boston’s Tobin Bridge after a big cup of coffee.

Alas, everything went the driver’s way. Traffic moved faster than expected and to cap it off, he parked for free after pulling into a spot with a broken meter in Boston’s financial district.

He strode into the AP office at 8:10 a.m., 10 minutes ahead of the rider of the bus, which took a different route.

The bus driver approached Boston via the Ted Williams Tunnel. A few minutes later, the bus pulled into South Station. The rider walked to the office and arrived at 8:20 a.m.

The race was over long before the train eased into North Station. I had been riding in style, though, so it didn’t matter that the other guys got bored waiting on me. I took a $3.25 taxi and arrived at 8:58 a.m.

Associated Press writers Jerry Harkavy (bus rider) and Clarke Canfield (minivan skipper) contributed to this report.