Drive or Fly: Apex, NC to Albemarle, NC?

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 RDU–USA. At 97 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 12m

Distance

97.1 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 9m

10m in the air

Air Distance

80 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apex, NC → RDU 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

USA → Albemarle, NC 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Apex, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Albemarle, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU and USA. 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 54m

2h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apex, NC → Cary 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Kannapolis → Albemarle, NC 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Cary 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Kannapolis 26 mi, ~39m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 41m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0650s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apex, NC → Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Albemarle (Vac & Dash) (ALR6) → Albemarle, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

To ALR6 — Albemarle (Vac & Dash) 0 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	2h 12m	3h 9m	3h 54m	3h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$21	$10
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	5 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Apex, NC to Albemarle, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.