Drive or Fly: Potomac Park, MD to Silver Spring, 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 JST–DCA. At 131 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 38m

Distance

131.5 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 40m

13m in the air

Air Distance

104 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Potomac Park, MD → JST 73m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Silver Spring, MD 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Potomac Park, MD JST — John Murtha Johnstown Cambria County Airport 49 mi, ~73m drive

Silver Spring, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JST 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

4h 33m

3h 33m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Potomac Park, MD → Cumberland Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 213m

Arrival 10m

Washington Union Station → Silver Spring, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Cumberland Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Washington Union Station 7 mi, ~10m 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	2h 38m	3h 40m	4h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$21
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	6 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Potomac Park, MD to Silver Spring, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.