Drive or Fly: Alexandria, VA to Norfolk, 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–ORF. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 6m

Distance

190.1 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 37m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Norfolk, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Norfolk, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and ORF. 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

5h 20m

4h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → Alexandria 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk → Norfolk, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Alexandria 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Norfolk 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~26/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

4h 15m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → Arlington (Rosslyn) (6RL) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 255m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk (NOR6) → Norfolk, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 6RL — Arlington (Rosslyn) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To NOR6 — Norfolk 4 mi, ~10m 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	3h 6m	2h 37m	5h 20m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$126	$28	$16
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	9 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 Alexandria, VA to Norfolk, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.