Drive or Fly: Suffolk, VA to Chesterfield Court House, VA?

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 ORF–RIC. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 53m

Distance

83.2 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 4m

8m in the air

Air Distance

68 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Suffolk, VA → ORF 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RIC → Chesterfield Court House, VA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Suffolk, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Chesterfield Court House, VA RIC — Richmond International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF and RIC. 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 49m

1h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Suffolk, VA → Norfolk 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 86m

Arrival 10m

Petersburg Amtrak Station → Chesterfield Court House, VA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Norfolk 19 mi, ~28m drive

To Petersburg Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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	1h 53m	3h 4m	2h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$14
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Suffolk, VA to Chesterfield Court House, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.