Drive or Fly: Charlotte, NC to Raleigh, 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 CLT–RDU. At 164 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 15m

Distance

164.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 43m

16m in the air

Air Distance

130 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlotte, NC → CLT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Raleigh, NC 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Charlotte, NC CLT — Charlotte Douglas International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Raleigh, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLT 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

4h 10m

3h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlotte, NC → Charlotte Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Union Station → Raleigh, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Charlotte Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Raleigh Union Station 1 mi, ~10m 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

3h 59m

3h 14m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0670

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlotte, NC → Charlotte Bus Station (CLT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 194m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Raleigh, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From CLT6 — Charlotte Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~35/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

− 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	3h 15m	2h 43m	4h 10m	3h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$26	$14
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	8 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 12, 2026.

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