Drive or Fly: Bowling Green, VA to Chesapeake, 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 RIC–ORF. At 130 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 39m

Distance

130.9 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 18m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bowling Green, VA → RIC 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Chesapeake, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Bowling Green, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 38 mi, ~56m drive

Chesapeake, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RIC and ORF. 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

4h 44m

3h 27m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bowling Green, VA → Fredericksburg Amtrak 27m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 207m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk → Chesapeake, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Fredericksburg Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m drive

To Norfolk 2 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 39m	3h 18m	4h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$24
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	7 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

130.9 mi 2h 39m

via I 64, I 95, I 295

Shortest (+9 min)

125.5 mi 2h 49m

via VA 30, I 64, US 301 BUS; VA 2

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