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Drive or Fly: Norfolk, VA to East Hampton, 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 ORF–PHF. At 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

16.7 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4
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 29m

2m in the air

Air Distance

13 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Norfolk, VA → ORF 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 2m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
PHF → East Hampton, VA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Norfolk, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive
East Hampton, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF and PHF. 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

2h 6m

58m on rail

Total Cost

$5

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Norfolk, VA → Norfolk 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 58m
Arrival 10m
Newport News → East Hampton, VA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Norfolk 1 mi, ~10m drive
To Newport News 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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 29m 2h 29m 2h 6m
Total cost (1 person) $39 $121 $5
Carbon footprint 7 kg CO2 3 kg CO2 1 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
16.7 mi 29m

via I 64, VA 337, I 64; US 60

Shortest (+0 min)
16.5 mi 30m

via US 460, I 64, I 64; US 60

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