Drive or Fly: Cary, NC to Orange County, NC?

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 RDU–RDU. At 32 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

41m

Distance

32.2 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 47m

3m in the air

Air Distance

27 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cary, NC → RDU 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Orange County, NC 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Cary, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Orange County, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU and RDU. 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 27m

18m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cary, NC → Cary 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 18m

Arrival 10m

Durham Amtrak Station → Orange County, NC 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Cary 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Durham Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m 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

1h 29m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cary, NC → Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Chapel Hill, NC (CPH6) → Orange County, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To CPH6 — Chapel Hill, NC 7 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	41m	2h 47m	1h 27m	1h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$3	$3
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	2 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

32.2 mi 41m

via I 40, SR 1652

Alternative (+0 min)

32.7 mi 41m

via I 85; US 70, NC 147, I 40

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Cary, NC to Orange County, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.