Drive or Fly: Lynchburg, VA to South Riding, 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–IAD. At 160 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 41m

Distance

160.5 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 36m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynchburg, VA → LYH 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAD → South Riding, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

South Riding, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LYH and IAD. 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

3h 50m

2h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Crescent

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynchburg, VA → Lynchburg 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 162m

Arrival 10m

Manassas Amtrak Station → South Riding, VA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Lynchburg 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Manassas Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~11/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 11 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 11m

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) → South Riding, VA 31m

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 21 mi, ~31m 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 41m	2h 36m	3h 50m	5h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$26	$16
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	35 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

160.5 mi 3h 41m

via US 29, US 15; US 29, SR 659

Alternative (+8 min)

163.4 mi 3h 49m

via US 29, US 15, US 15; US 29

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