Drive or Fly: Silver Hill, MD to South Bel Air, 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–BWI. At 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 37m

Distance

66.4 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

3h 3m

7m in the air

Air Distance

58 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Hill, MD → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → South Bel Air, MD 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

South Bel Air, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 30 mi, ~46m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and BWI. 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 29m

1h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Hill, MD → Washington Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 86m

Arrival 10m

Edgewood → South Bel Air, MD 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Washington Union Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Edgewood 8 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 15m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0325S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Edgewood Bus Stop (EED6) → South Bel Air, MD 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

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

To EED6 — Edgewood Bus Stop 7 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 37m	3h 3m	2h 29m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$10	$6
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

66.4 mi 1h 36m

via Baltimore-Washington Parkway, I 895, I 95

Alternative (+3 min)

70 mi 1h 40m

via I 895, I 97, I 95

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