Drive or Fly: Fairmont, WV to Charles Town, WV?

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 CKB–HGR. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 29m

Distance

172.1 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 21m

15m in the air

Air Distance

123 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairmont, WV → CKB 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HGR → Charles Town, WV 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Fairmont, WV CKB — North Central West Virginia Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Charles Town, WV HGR — Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CKB and HGR. 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

6h 34m

4h 32m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairmont, WV → Connellsville Amtrak 71m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 272m

Arrival 10m

Harpers Ferry Amtrak → Charles Town, WV 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Connellsville Amtrak 47 mi, ~71m drive

To Harpers Ferry Amtrak 7 mi, ~11m 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	3h 29m	3h 21m	6h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$22
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	31 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fairmont, WV to Charles Town, WV with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.