Drive or Fly: Bedford, VA to Arlington, 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 LYH–DCA. At 199 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 23m

Distance

199.6 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 57m

20m in the air

Air Distance

169 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bedford, VA → LYH 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Arlington, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Bedford, VA LYH — Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field 18 mi, ~27m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LYH and DCA. 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 16m

3h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bedford, VA → Lynchburg 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Washington Union Station → Arlington, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Lynchburg 21 mi, ~31m drive

To Washington Union Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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	4h 23m	2h 57m	5h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$31
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	43 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 — 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

199.6 mi 4h 23m

via US 29, US 15; US 29, I 66

Alternative (+1 min)

226.1 mi 4h 24m

via I 81, I 66, VA 122

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