Drive or Fly: Monroe, NC to Apex, NC?

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 CLT–RDU. At 131 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 51m

Distance

131.6 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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

3h 10m

13m in the air

Air Distance

109 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monroe, NC → CLT 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Apex, NC 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Monroe, NC CLT — Charlotte Douglas International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

Apex, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLT and RDU. 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 19m

2h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monroe, NC → Charlotte Amtrak Station 35m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 174m

Arrival 10m

Cary → Apex, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Charlotte Amtrak Station 23 mi, ~35m drive

To Cary 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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 51m	3h 10m	4h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$24
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	28 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 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Monroe, NC to Apex, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.