Drive or Fly: Charleston, SC to Murrells Inlet, SC?

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 CHS–MYR. At 82 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 55m

Distance

82 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 41m

9m in the air

Air Distance

74 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, SC → CHS 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MYR → Murrells Inlet, SC 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Charleston, SC CHS — Charleston International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Murrells Inlet, SC MYR — Myrtle Beach International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHS and MYR. 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 52m

51m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, SC → Charleston Amtrak Station 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 51m

Arrival 10m

Kingstree Amtrak Station → Murrells Inlet, SC 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Charleston Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Kingstree Amtrak Station 46 mi, ~69m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 22m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0641

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, SC → Charleston Bus Station (CSE6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Myrtle Beach Bus Station (MYB6) → Murrells Inlet, SC 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From CSE6 — Charleston Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

To MYB6 — Myrtle Beach Bus Station 13 mi, ~20m 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	1h 55m	2h 41m	2h 52m	3h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$11	$9
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	5 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Charleston, SC to Murrells Inlet, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.