Drive or Fly: Pulaski, VA to Charlottesville, 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 ROA–CHO. At 164 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

164.1 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 41m

17m in the air

Air Distance

143 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pulaski, VA → ROA 72m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHO → Charlottesville, VA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Pulaski, VA ROA — Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport 48 mi, ~72m drive

Charlottesville, VA CHO — Charlottesville Albemarle Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ROA and CHO. 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

6h 41m

4h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pulaski, VA → Hinton Amtrak Station 66m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Charlottesville → Charlottesville, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Hinton Amtrak Station 44 mi, ~66m drive

To Charlottesville 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 5m

4h 20m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pulaski, VA → Max Meadows (A81 Travel Plaza) (WYV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Charlottesville Union Station (CHV6) → Charlottesville, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From WYV6 — Max Meadows (A81 Travel Plaza) 7 mi, ~10m drive

To CHV6 — Charlottesville Union Station 1 mi, ~10m 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	3h 12m	3h 41m	6h 41m	5h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$27	$16
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

164.1 mi 3h 11m

via I 81, I 64

Alternative (+34 min)

176.5 mi 3h 45m

via US 29, I 81, US 460

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