Drive or Fly: Harrisonburg, VA to South Riding, 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 SHD–IAD. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

112.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 39m

10m in the air

Air Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harrisonburg, VA → SHD 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAD → South Riding, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Harrisonburg, VA SHD — Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

South Riding, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SHD 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

4h 40m

3h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harrisonburg, VA → Staunton Amtrak Station 35m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 187m

Arrival 10m

Manassas Amtrak Station → South Riding, VA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Staunton Amtrak Station 24 mi, ~35m drive

To Manassas Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m 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

4h 24m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Harrisonburg, VA → Charlottesville Union Station (CHV6) 53m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Springfield Bus Stop (SPV6) → South Riding, VA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From CHV6 — Charlottesville Union Station 35 mi, ~53m drive

To SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 21 mi, ~31m 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	2h 13m	2h 39m	4h 40m	4h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$123	$19	$10
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	6 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

112.9 mi 2h 13m

via I 81, I 66, US 15

Shortest (+8 min)

104.9 mi 2h 21m

via I 81, US 50, US 17; US 50

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