Drive or Fly: Loch Lomond, VA to Roanoke, 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–ROA. At 214 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 4m

Distance

214.3 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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 47m

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Loch Lomond, VA → IAD 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ROA → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Loch Lomond, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Roanoke, VA ROA — Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IAD and ROA. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 13m

4h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Loch Lomond, VA → Manassas Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 253m

Arrival 10m

Roanoke → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Manassas Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Roanoke 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~26/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

6h 13m

5h 15m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Loch Lomond, VA → Woodbridge Bus Stop (WDG6) 23m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 315m

Arrival 10m

Roanoke Bus Stop (RON6) → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From WDG6 — Woodbridge Bus Stop 15 mi, ~23m drive

To RON6 — Roanoke Bus Stop 0 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	4h 4m	2h 47m	5h 13m	6h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$34	$19
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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

214.3 mi 4h 3m

via I 81, I 66, US 220

Shortest (+13 min)

200.9 mi 4h 17m

via I 64, I 81, US 29

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