Drive or Fly: Frederick, MD to Clarksburg, 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–IAD. At 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

24m

Distance

16.4 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 16m

2m in the air

Air Distance

14 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frederick, MD → HGR 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAD → Clarksburg, MD 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Frederick, MD HGR — Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field 27 mi, ~40m drive

Clarksburg, MD IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 22 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HGR and IAD. 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 11m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frederick, MD → Harpers Ferry Amtrak 27m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Rockville Amtrak → Clarksburg, MD 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Harpers Ferry Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m drive

To Rockville Amtrak 13 mi, ~19m 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	24m	3h 16m	2h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$7
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

16.4 mi 23m

via I 270

Alternative (+3 min)

16.9 mi 26m

via I 270, MD 355

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