Drive or Fly: Arlington, VA to Richmond, 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 105 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 49m

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

2h 34m

11m in the air

Air Distance

94 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arlington, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Richmond, VA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Arlington, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Richmond, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 8 mi, ~13m 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

3h 33m

2h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arlington, VA → Washington Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 153m

Arrival 10m

Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station → Richmond, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Washington Union Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 36m

1h 51m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2605

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 111m

Arrival 10m

Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) (RVA6) → Richmond, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From 6RL — Arlington (Rosslyn) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To RVA6 — Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− 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	1h 49m	2h 34m	3h 33m	2h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$19	$11
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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 Arlington, VA to Richmond, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.