Drive or Fly: Stevensville, MD to Columbia, 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 BWI–BWI. At 39 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

47m

Distance

39.6 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 54m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stevensville, MD → BWI 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BWI → Columbia, MD 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Stevensville, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

Columbia, MD BWI — Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BWI 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

1h 39m

14m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Commuter Rail

Door-to-Door Timeline

Stevensville, MD → Odenton 33m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 14m

Arrival 10m

Halethorpe → Columbia, MD 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Odenton 22 mi, ~33m drive

To Halethorpe 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~34/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	47m	2h 54m	1h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	1 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

39.6 mi 58m

via MD 100, US 50; US 301, MD 2

Alternative (+8 min)

47.8 mi 1h 6m

via US 50; US 301, MD 32, MD 100

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