Drive or Fly: Tarboro, NC to Apex, 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 PGV–RDU. At 86 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 40m

Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 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 55m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tarboro, NC → PGV 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Apex, NC 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Tarboro, NC PGV — Pitt-Greenville Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Apex, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PGV 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

3h 5m

1h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tarboro, NC → Rocky Mount 22m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 113m

Arrival 10m

Cary → Apex, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Rocky Mount 15 mi, ~22m drive

To Cary 5 mi, ~10m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 1m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0654s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tarboro, NC → Tarboro Bus Stop (TBB6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Raleigh Bus Station (RAL6) → Apex, NC 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From TBB6 — Tarboro Bus Stop 2 mi, ~10m drive

To RAL6 — Raleigh Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m 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 40m	2h 55m	3h 5m	3h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$11	$7
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	19 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 17, 2026.

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