Drive or Fly: Glen Burnie, MD to College Park, 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 BWI–DCA. At 25 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

45m

Distance

25.9 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

10 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 29m

3m in the air

Air Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Glen Burnie, MD → BWI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → College Park, MD 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Glen Burnie, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

College Park, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BWI 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

1h 14m

14m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Glen Burnie, MD → Bwi Thurgood Marshall Airport Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 14m

Arrival 10m

New Carrollton Amtrak Station → College Park, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Bwi Thurgood Marshall Airport Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To New Carrollton Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~100/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

1h 41m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0325S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Glen Burnie, MD → Baltimore Downtown Bus Station (BAL6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

College Park U of MD Metrorail (CLP6) → College Park, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From BAL6 — Baltimore Downtown Bus Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To CLP6 — College Park U of MD Metrorail 0 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	45m	2h 29m	1h 14m	1h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	10 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

25.9 mi 44m

via MD 295, MD 176

Alternative (+3 min)

30.8 mi 48m

via MD 3, US 50, I 97

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Glen Burnie, MD to College Park, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.