Drive or Fly: Alexandria, VA to Shawnee Land, 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–HGR. At 105 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 15m

Distance

105 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

42 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 32m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HGR → Shawnee Land, VA 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Shawnee Land, VA HGR — Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field 49 mi, ~73m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and HGR. 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

4h 25m

2h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → Alexandria 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 174m

Arrival 10m

Martinsburg Amtrak Station → Shawnee Land, VA 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Alexandria 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Martinsburg Amtrak Station 28 mi, ~41m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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

− Limited schedule — about 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 15m	3h 32m	4h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	19 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 — 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

105 mi 2h 14m

via I 66, US 48; VA 55, SR 600

Shortest (+2 min)

96.7 mi 2h 17m

via VA 7, VA 267, I 495

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