Drive or Fly: Highland Springs, VA to Hampton, 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 RIC–PHF. At 71 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 23m

Distance

71.1 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 34m

8m in the air

Air Distance

65 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highland Springs, VA → RIC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHF → Hampton, VA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Highland Springs, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RIC and PHF. 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 31m

1h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highland Springs, VA → Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 84m

Arrival 10m

Newport News → Hampton, VA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Newport News 11 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~31/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 47m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Highland Springs, VA → Richmond North (McDonalds Mechanicsville Tpk) (6RNM) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk (NOR6) → Hampton, VA 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From 6RNM — Richmond North (McDonalds Mechanicsville Tpk) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To NOR6 — Norfolk 15 mi, ~22m 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 23m	2h 34m	2h 31m	2h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$123	$12	$9
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	17 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 17, 2026.

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