Drive or Fly: Colonial Heights, 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 RIC–DCA. At 124 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 31m

Distance

124 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colonial Heights, VA → RIC 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Alexandria, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Colonial Heights, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RIC 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 39m

2h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colonial Heights, VA → Petersburg Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 159m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria → Alexandria, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Petersburg Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Alexandria 1 mi, ~10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 31m	2h 49m	3h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$22
Carbon footprint	50 kg CO₂	28 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 Colonial Heights, VA to Alexandria, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.