Drive or Fly: Pine Level, NC to Cary, 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 RDU–RDU. At 42 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

53m

Distance

42.9 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

17 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

3h 13m

4m in the air

Air Distance

36 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine Level, NC → RDU 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Cary, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Pine Level, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 40 mi, ~59m drive

Cary, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDU 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

2h 39m

59m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Carolinian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine Level, NC → Selma 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 59m

Arrival 10m

Cary → Cary, NC 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Selma 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Cary 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine Level, NC → Smithfield (Super Disc Mini Mart) (SMF6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Cary, NC 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From SMF6 — Smithfield (Super Disc Mini Mart) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 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	53m	3h 13m	2h 39m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$7	$3
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 Pine Level, NC to Cary, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.