Drive or Fly: Leesburg, VA to Glen Allen, 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 IAD–RIC. At 119 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 35m

Distance

119.4 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 55m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leesburg, VA → IAD 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Glen Allen, VA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Leesburg, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Glen Allen, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAD 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

5h 36m

4h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leesburg, VA → Harpers Ferry Amtrak 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 261m

Arrival 10m

Richmond Staples Mill Road Amtrak Station → Glen Allen, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Harpers Ferry Amtrak 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Richmond Staples Mill Road Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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 35m	2h 55m	5h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$24
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	7 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

119.4 mi 2h 35m

via I 95, VA 267, VA 123

Shortest (+0 min)

119 mi 2h 35m

via I 95, VA 234, US 15

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