Drive or Fly: Hampton, VA to Richmond, VA?

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 PHF–RIC. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

78.1 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 38m

9m in the air

Air Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, VA → PHF 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Richmond, VA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Hampton, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Richmond, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PHF and RIC. 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 12m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, VA → Newport News 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station → Richmond, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Newport News 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~20/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

2h 57m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, VA → Norfolk (NOR6) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) (RVA6) → Richmond, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From NOR6 — Norfolk 15 mi, ~22m drive

To RVA6 — Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) 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 32m	2h 38m	2h 12m	2h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$12	$9
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	5 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hampton, VA to Richmond, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.