Drive or Fly: Colonial Beach, VA to Richmond, 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 DCA–RIC. At 71 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 36m

Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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

3h 22m

7m in the air

Air Distance

55 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colonial Beach, VA → DCA 62m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Richmond, VA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Colonial Beach, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 42 mi, ~62m drive

Richmond, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA 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 25m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colonial Beach, VA → Quantico Amtrak 39m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station → Richmond, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Quantico Amtrak 26 mi, ~39m drive

To Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~31/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

2h 22m

1h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0670

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colonial Beach, VA → Fredericksburg Bus Stop (FBG6) 42m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) (RVA6) → Richmond, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From FBG6 — Fredericksburg Bus Stop 28 mi, ~42m drive

To RVA6 — Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) 2 mi, ~10m 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 36m	3h 22m	3h 25m	2h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$14	$6
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	4 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 13, 2026.

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