Drive or Fly: Saint James, MD to Silver Spring, MD?

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 HGR–DCA. At 67 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 28m

Distance

67.5 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 36m

7m in the air

Air Distance

56 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint James, MD → HGR 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Silver Spring, MD 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Saint James, MD HGR — Hagerstown Regional Richard A Henson Field 10 mi, ~15m drive

Silver Spring, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HGR 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 13m

2h 4m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint James, MD → Martinsburg Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 124m

Arrival 10m

Washington Union Station → Silver Spring, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Martinsburg Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Washington Union Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 57m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0430

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint James, MD → Frederick Bus Station (FRD6) 32m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

Silver Spring Bus Station (SSP6) → Silver Spring, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From FRD6 — Frederick Bus Station 21 mi, ~32m drive

To SSP6 — Silver Spring Bus Station 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 28m	2h 36m	3h 13m	1h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$13	$4
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 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 Saint James, MD to Silver Spring, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.