Drive or Fly: Silver Hill, 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 DCA–DCA. At 13 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

33m

Distance

13.3 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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 25m

1m in the air

Air Distance

11 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Hill, MD → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Silver Spring, MD 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Silver Hill, MD DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 21m

36m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Greyhound US0310D

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Hill, MD → Washington Union Station (DCD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 36m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From DCD6 — Washington Union Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To SSP6 — Silver Spring Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~28/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	33m	2h 25m	1h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$1
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	0 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

13.3 mi 32m

via US 29

Alternative (+0 min)

13.7 mi 33m

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Silver Hill, MD to Silver Spring, MD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.