Drive or Fly: Gwynn Oak, MD to Calverton, 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 27 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

43m

Distance

27.8 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 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 42m

3m in the air

Air Distance

23 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gwynn Oak, MD → BWI 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Calverton, MD 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Gwynn Oak, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Calverton, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 15 mi, ~23m 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 35m

33m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gwynn Oak, MD → West Baltimore 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 33m

Arrival 10m

Seabrook → Calverton, MD 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From West Baltimore 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Seabrook 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 15m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0325S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Laurel (7-Eleven) (LRL6) → Calverton, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From BAL6 — Baltimore Downtown Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To LRL6 — Laurel (7-Eleven) 5 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	43m	2h 42m	1h 35m	1h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$5	$2
Carbon footprint	11 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 Gwynn Oak, MD to Calverton, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.