Drive or Fly: Olney, MD to Fort Washington, MD?

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 DCA–DCA. At 46 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 11m

Distance

46.7 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 50m

4m in the air

Air Distance

31 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Olney, MD → DCA 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Fort Washington, MD 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Olney, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

Fort Washington, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and DCA. 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 45m

1h 44m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Olney, MD → Rockville Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 104m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria → Fort Washington, MD 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Rockville Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Alexandria 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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	1h 11m	2h 50m	2h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$4
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	8 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

46.7 mi 1h 10m

via I 495, MD 210, MD 650

Shortest (+4 min)

37.1 mi 1h 14m

via MD 97, MD 210, I 295

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Olney, MD to Fort Washington, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.