Drive or Fly: Chesapeake, VA to Central Garage, 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 ORF–RIC. At 93 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 6m

Distance

93.3 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 49m

10m in the air

Air Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chesapeake, VA → ORF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Central Garage, VA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Chesapeake, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Central Garage, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF and RIC. 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 43m

2h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chesapeake, VA → Norfolk 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 144m

Arrival 10m

Ashland Amtrak → Central Garage, VA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Norfolk 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Ashland Amtrak 19 mi, ~29m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 20m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chesapeake, VA → Norfolk (NOR6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Richmond North (McDonalds Mechanicsville Tpk) (6RNM) → Central Garage, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From NOR6 — Norfolk 4 mi, ~10m drive

To 6RNM — Richmond North (McDonalds Mechanicsville Tpk) 20 mi, ~30m 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 6m	2h 49m	3h 43m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$18	$9
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	20 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

93.3 mi 2h 6m

via I 64, VA 30, I 64; US 60

Alternative (+6 min)

98.6 mi 2h 12m

via I 64, SR 609, I 64; US 60

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