Drive or Fly: Richmond, VA to Hampton, 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–PHF. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 16m

Distance

78.3 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 38m

9m in the air

Air Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, VA → RIC 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PHF → Hampton, VA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Hampton, VA PHF — Newport News Williamsburg International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RIC and PHF. 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 4m

1h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

5 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, VA → Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 84m

Arrival 10m

Newport News → Hampton, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Richmond Main Street Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Newport News 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~31/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

3h 15m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, VA → Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) (RVA6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk (NOR6) → Hampton, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From RVA6 — Richmond (Main St Station Plaza) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To NOR6 — Norfolk 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	1h 16m	2h 38m	3h 4m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$12	$9
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	18 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 13, 2026.

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