Drive or Fly: Rose Hill, VA to Roanoke, 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 DCA–ROA. At 240 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 34m

Distance

240.8 mi

Total Cost

$88

CO2

97 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$53

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 42m

22m in the air

Air Distance

186 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rose Hill, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ROA → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Rose Hill, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and ROA. 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 49m

4h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rose Hill, VA → Alexandria 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 289m

Arrival 10m

Roanoke → Roanoke, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Alexandria 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Roanoke 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~26/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

6h 25m

5h 40m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rose Hill, VA → Springfield Bus Stop (SPV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 340m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From SPV6 — Springfield Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

To RON6 — Roanoke Bus Stop 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	4h 34m	2h 42m	5h 49m	6h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$88	$182	$38	$20
Carbon footprint	97 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	11 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

240.8 mi 4h 34m

via I 81, I 66, US 220

Shortest (+10 min)

226.5 mi 4h 45m

via I 64, I 81, I 95

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