Drive or Fly: Charlottesville, VA to Fairfax, 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–IAD. At 99 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 22m

Distance

99.4 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 38m

10m in the air

Air Distance

85 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → CHO 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAD → Fairfax, VA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Fairfax, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CHO and IAD. 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 42m

1h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → Charlottesville 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 102m

Arrival 10m

Burke Centre Amtrak → Fairfax, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Charlottesville 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Burke Centre Amtrak 3 mi, ~10m 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 24m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charlottesville, VA → Charlottesville Union Station (CHV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Springfield Bus Stop (SPV6) → Fairfax, VA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From CHV6 — Charlottesville Union Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 9 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	2h 22m	2h 38m	2h 42m	3h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$17	$10
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 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 12, 2026.

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