Drive or Fly: Roanoke, VA to Spotsylvania Courthouse, 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 181 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 39m

Distance

181 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 38m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Roanoke, VA → ROA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CHO → Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA CHO — Charlottesville Albemarle Airport 47 mi, ~71m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 4m

4h 15m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 255m

Arrival 10m

Fredericksburg Bus Stop (FBG6) → Spotsylvania Courthouse, VA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

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

To FBG6 — Fredericksburg Bus Stop 9 mi, ~14m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 39m	3h 38m	5h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$17
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	37 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: 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

181 mi 3h 39m

via I 81, I 64, VA 208

Shortest (+19 min)

180.8 mi 3h 59m

via US 29, VA 208, US 460

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