Drive or Fly: Bedford, VA to Roanoke, 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–ROA. At 28 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

43m

Distance

28.2 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 40m

3m in the air

Air Distance

23 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bedford, VA → LYH 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ROA → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Roanoke, VA ROA — Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LYH and ROA. 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

2h 35m

1h 14m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bedford, VA → Lynchburg 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 74m

Arrival 10m

Roanoke → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Lynchburg 21 mi, ~31m drive

To Roanoke 0 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

2h 11m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bedford, VA → Lynchburg Transit Center (LCB6) 31m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Roanoke Bus Stop (RON6) → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From LCB6 — Lynchburg Transit Center 21 mi, ~31m drive

To RON6 — Roanoke Bus Stop 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	43m	2h 40m	2h 35m	2h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	11 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 Bedford, VA to Roanoke, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.