Drive or Fly: Charlottesville, VA to Alexandria, 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 CHO–DCA. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 17m

Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 33m

11m in the air

Air Distance

94 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → CHO 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Alexandria, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Charlottesville, VA CHO — Charlottesville Albemarle Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Alexandria, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHO and DCA. 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

3h 46m

2h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → Charlottesville 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 126m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria → Alexandria, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Charlottesville 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Alexandria 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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 17m	2h 33m	3h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$19
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 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 12, 2026.

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