Drive or Fly: Beltsville, MD to Columbia, MD?

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–BWI. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

30m

Distance

22.6 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 39m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beltsville, MD → DCA 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Columbia, MD 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Beltsville, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 14 mi, ~22m drive

Columbia, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and BWI. 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

1h 29m

27m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beltsville, MD → Seabrook 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 27m

Arrival 10m

Halethorpe → Columbia, MD 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Seabrook 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Halethorpe 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~17/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

1h 14m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0325S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beltsville, MD → College Park U of MD Metrorail (CLP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Laurel (7-Eleven) (LRL6) → Columbia, MD 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From CLP6 — College Park U of MD Metrorail 4 mi, ~10m drive

To LRL6 — Laurel (7-Eleven) 10 mi, ~14m 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	30m	2h 39m	1h 29m	1h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$4	$1
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

22.6 mi 29m

via I 95, MD 100

Shortest (+3 min)

21.4 mi 32m

via US 29

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Beltsville, MD to Columbia, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.