Drive or Fly: Summerfield, NC to Cary, NC?

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 GSO–RDU. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 43m

Distance

83.9 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 30m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Summerfield, NC → GSO 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Cary, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Summerfield, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Cary, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GSO and RDU. 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 30m

1h 23m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Piedmont

Door-to-Door Timeline

Summerfield, NC → Greensboro 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 83m

Arrival 10m

Cary → Cary, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Greensboro 12 mi, ~17m drive

To Cary 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 31m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2471

Door-to-Door Timeline

Summerfield, NC → Greensboro Bus Stop (GBO6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Cary, NC 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From GBO6 — Greensboro Bus Stop 12 mi, ~17m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 9 mi, ~14m 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 43m	2h 30m	2h 30m	2h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	3 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, 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Summerfield, NC to Cary, NC with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.