Drive or Fly: Portsmouth Heights, VA to Warsaw, 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 101 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 25m

Distance

101.4 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 32m

10m in the air

Air Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portsmouth Heights, VA → ORF 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Warsaw, VA 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Portsmouth Heights, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Warsaw, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 44 mi, ~66m 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

4h 17m

2h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portsmouth Heights, VA → Norfolk 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 144m

Arrival 10m

Ashland Amtrak → Warsaw, VA 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Norfolk 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Ashland Amtrak 42 mi, ~63m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 1m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portsmouth Heights, VA → Norfolk (NOR6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Richmond North (McDonalds Mechanicsville Tpk) (6RNM) → Warsaw, VA 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From NOR6 — Norfolk 9 mi, ~13m drive

To 6RNM — Richmond North (McDonalds Mechanicsville Tpk) 45 mi, ~68m 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	2h 25m	3h 32m	4h 17m	4h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$18	$9
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Portsmouth Heights, VA to Warsaw, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.