Drive or Fly: Alexandria, VA to Bowling Green, VA?

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 DCA–RIC. At 72 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 34m

Distance

72.3 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

3h 13m

7m in the air

Air Distance

55 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Bowling Green, VA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Alexandria, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Bowling Green, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 38 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and RIC. 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 6m

49m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → Alexandria 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 49m

Arrival 10m

Fredericksburg Amtrak → Bowling Green, VA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Alexandria 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Fredericksburg Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~57/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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 34m	3h 13m	2h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$8
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	14 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 — 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

72.3 mi 1h 34m

via I 95, VA 2, US 17

Alternative (+15 min)

72.6 mi 1h 49m

via US 301, MD 210, MD 228

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alexandria, VA to Bowling Green, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.