Drive or Fly: Silver Spring, MD to Charlestown, 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–MGW. At 144 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 57m

Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 43m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Spring, MD → DCA 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MGW → Charlestown, MD 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Charlestown, MD MGW — Morgantown Municipal Airport Walter L. (Bill) Hart Field 51 mi, ~76m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and MGW. 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 22m

3h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Silver Spring, MD → Washington Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 192m

Arrival 10m

Cumberland Amtrak Station → Charlestown, MD 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Washington Union Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To Cumberland Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~20m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 57m	3h 43m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$124	$21
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	6 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 — 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.

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