Drive or Fly: Perry Hall, MD to College Park, 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 BWI–DCA. At 46 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 8m

Distance

46.8 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 51m

5m in the air

Air Distance

39 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Perry Hall, MD → BWI 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → College Park, MD 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Perry Hall, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

College Park, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BWI 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 43m

1h 3m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Perry Hall, MD → Martin Airport 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 63m

Arrival 10m

New Carrollton Amtrak Station → College Park, MD 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Martin Airport 0 mi, ~30m drive

To New Carrollton Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 10m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Perry Hall, MD → White Marsh Park N Ride (WMH6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

College Park U of MD Metrorail (CLP6) → College Park, MD 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From WMH6 — White Marsh Park N Ride 0 mi, ~30m drive

To CLP6 — College Park U of MD Metrorail 0 mi, ~30m 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	1h 8m	2h 51m	2h 43m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$122	$7	$4
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 Perry Hall, MD to College Park, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.