Drive or Fly: Richmond, VA to Arlington, 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 RIC–DCA. At 104 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 7m

Distance

104.6 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

42 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 34m

11m in the air

Air Distance

94 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, VA → RIC 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Arlington, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Richmond, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

Arlington, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RIC 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

3h 30m

2h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, VA → Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Washington Union Station → Arlington, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Washington Union Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 32m

1h 47m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, VA → Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) (RVA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 107m

Arrival 10m

Arlington (Rosslyn) (6RL) → Arlington, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From RVA6 — Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To 6RL — Arlington (Rosslyn) 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 7m	2h 34m	3h 30m	2h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$19	$11
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 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, 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 Richmond, VA to Arlington, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.