Drive or Fly: Sherrills Ford, NC to Raleigh, 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 160 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 20m

Distance

160.7 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 7m

16m in the air

Air Distance

132 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sherrills Ford, NC → USA 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Raleigh, NC 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Sherrills Ford, NC USA — Concord-Padgett Regional Airport 22 mi, ~34m drive

Raleigh, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~17m 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

4h 8m

2h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sherrills Ford, NC → Kannapolis 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Union Station → Raleigh, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Kannapolis 22 mi, ~33m drive

To Raleigh Union Station 1 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

4h 50m

3h 50m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sherrills Ford, NC → Newton (Citgo) (HKN6) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 230m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Raleigh, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From HKN6 — Newton (Citgo) 16 mi, ~25m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 3 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	3h 20m	3h 7m	4h 8m	4h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$23	$16
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	7 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: 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 17, 2026.

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