Skip to main content

Drive or Fly: Norfolk, VA to Prince George, 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–RIC. At 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

76.5 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17
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 47m

7m in the air

Air Distance

61 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Norfolk, VA → ORF 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 7m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
RIC → Prince George, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Norfolk, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive
Prince George, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF and RIC. 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 28m

1h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Norfolk, VA → Norfolk 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 86m
Arrival 10m
Petersburg Amtrak Station → Prince George, VA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Norfolk 1 mi, ~10m drive
To Petersburg Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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
Amtrak delays can be unpredictable
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 1h 48m 2h 47m 2h 28m
Total cost (1 person) $52 $122 $14
Carbon footprint 31 kg CO2 16 kg CO2 4 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
76.5 mi 1h 48m

via VA 10, US 258; VA 10, VA 164

Shortest (+1 min)
73.8 mi 1h 50m

via US 460, US 13; US 58; US 460, I 264; US 460 ALT; VA 337

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