Drive or Fly: Rockwell, NC to Durham, NC?

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 USA–RDU. At 111 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 49m

Distance

111.3 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 57m

11m in the air

Air Distance

90 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockwell, NC → USA 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Durham, NC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Rockwell, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 20 mi, ~31m drive

Durham, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between USA and RDU. 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

2h 58m

1h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockwell, NC → Salisbury 13m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Durham Amtrak Station → Durham, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Salisbury 9 mi, ~13m drive

To Durham Amtrak Station 0 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

3h 34m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0670

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockwell, NC → Salisbury (Citgo) (SLB6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Durham (4DU) → Durham, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From SLB6 — Salisbury (Citgo) 10 mi, ~14m drive

To 4DU — Durham 0 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	1h 49m	2h 57m	2h 58m	3h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	23 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Rockwell, NC to Durham, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.