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

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 20m

Distance

99.8 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

Fairfax, VA → IAD 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHO → Charlottesville, VA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAD and CHO. 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 57m

1h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairfax, VA → Burke Centre Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 117m

Arrival 10m

Charlottesville → Charlottesville, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Burke Centre Amtrak 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Charlottesville 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~22/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 54m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 9 mi, ~14m drive

To CHV6 — Charlottesville Union Station 1 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	2h 20m	2h 38m	2h 57m	3h 54m
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 Fairfax, VA to Charlottesville, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.