Drive or Fly: Fort Washington, MD to Baltimore, 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 DCA–BWI. At 51 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

51.1 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 34m

6m in the air

Air Distance

46 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Washington, MD → DCA 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Baltimore, MD 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Fort Washington, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Baltimore, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and BWI. 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 15m

1h 14m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Washington, MD → Alexandria 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 74m

Arrival 10m

Baltimore Penn Station → Baltimore, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Alexandria 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Baltimore Penn Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 28m

1h 40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Washington, MD → Springfield Bus Stop (SPV6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 100m

Arrival 10m

Baltimore Downtown Bus Station (BAL6) → Baltimore, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 9 mi, ~13m drive

To BAL6 — Baltimore Downtown Bus Station 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 20m	2h 34m	2h 15m	2h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$8	$5
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 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 Fort Washington, MD to Baltimore, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.