Drive or Fly: Marion, SC to Charleston, SC?

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 FLO–CHS. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 55m

Distance

118 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

102 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, SC → FLO 28m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHS → Charleston, SC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Marion, SC FLO — Florence Regional Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive

Charleston, SC CHS — Charleston International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FLO and CHS. 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 48m

2h 31m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Palmetto

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, SC → Dillon Amtrak Station 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 151m

Arrival 10m

Charleston Amtrak Station → Charleston, SC 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Dillon Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Charleston Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 28m

4h 20m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0641

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marion, SC → Florence Bus Station (FLO6) 31m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Charleston Bus Station (CSE6) → Charleston, SC 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From FLO6 — Florence Bus Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

To CSE6 — Charleston Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m 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	2h 55m	2h 55m	3h 48m	5h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$23	$10
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	7 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Marion, SC to Charleston, SC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.