Drive or Fly: Hartsville, SC to Charleston, SC?

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 FLO–CHS. At 142 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 27m

Distance

142.5 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 4m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartsville, SC → FLO 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHS → Charleston, SC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Hartsville, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Charleston, SC CHS — Charleston International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLO and CHS. 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 55m

1h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

5 kg

Route

Silver Meteor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hartsville, SC → Florence Amtrak Station 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Charleston Amtrak Station → Charleston, SC 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Florence Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~33m drive

To Charleston Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	2h 27m	3h 4m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$124	$19
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	28 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 — 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 Hartsville, SC to Charleston, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.