Drive or Fly: Roanoke, VA to Annandale, 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–DCA. At 233 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 23m

Distance

233 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

94 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 45m

22m in the air

Air Distance

184 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Roanoke, VA → ROA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Annandale, VA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Roanoke, VA ROA — Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Annandale, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ROA 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 26m

4h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Roanoke, VA → Roanoke 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 266m

Arrival 10m

Burke Centre Amtrak → Annandale, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Roanoke 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Burke Centre Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 15m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Roanoke, VA → Roanoke Bus Stop (RON6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 315m

Arrival 10m

Springfield Bus Stop (SPV6) → Annandale, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From RON6 — Roanoke Bus Stop 0 mi, ~10m drive

To SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 5 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	4h 23m	2h 45m	5h 26m	6h
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$182	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	94 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	11 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 Roanoke, VA to Annandale, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.