Drive or Fly: Emmitsburg, MD to Rockville, MD?

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 HGR–DCA. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

56m

Distance

52.3 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 3m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Emmitsburg, MD → HGR 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Rockville, MD 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Emmitsburg, MD HGR — Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field 21 mi, ~32m drive

Rockville, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HGR 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

2h 26m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Emmitsburg, MD → Harpers Ferry Amtrak 51m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Rockville Amtrak → Rockville, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Harpers Ferry Amtrak 34 mi, ~51m drive

To Rockville Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	56m	3h 3m	2h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Emmitsburg, MD to Rockville, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.