Drive or Fly: Charlestown, 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 ILG–BWI. At 63 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 24m

Distance

63 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 52m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlestown, MD → ILG 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Columbia, MD 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Charlestown, MD ILG — Wilmington Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ILG 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

2h 3m

1h 1m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlestown, MD → Perryville 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 61m

Arrival 10m

Halethorpe → Columbia, MD 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Perryville 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Halethorpe 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 14m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0325S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlestown, MD → North East (Stop & Go) (NRT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From NRT6 — North East (Stop & Go) 3 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	1h 24m	2h 52m	2h 3m	3h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$8	$7
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

63 mi 1h 24m

via I 95, I 895, Express Toll Lanes

Alternative (+3 min)

64.2 mi 1h 27m

via I 95, I 695, MD 43

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