Drive or Fly: Lynchburg, VA to Annandale, 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 LYH–DCA. At 171 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 51m

Distance

171.8 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 40m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynchburg, VA → LYH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Annandale, VA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Lynchburg, VA LYH — Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field 7 mi, ~10m drive

Annandale, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LYH and DCA. 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 7m

3h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynchburg, VA → Lynchburg 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 187m

Arrival 10m

Burke Centre Amtrak → Annandale, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Lynchburg 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Burke Centre Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 50m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynchburg, VA → Lynchburg Transit Center (LCB6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

Springfield Bus Stop (SPV6) → Annandale, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From LCB6 — Lynchburg Transit Center 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 5 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	3h 51m	2h 40m	4h 7m	4h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$28	$16
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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 15, 2026.

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