Drive or Fly: Virginia Beach, VA to Norfolk, 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–ORF. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

25m

Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 31m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Virginia Beach, VA → ORF 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Norfolk, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Virginia Beach, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Norfolk, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORF and ORF. 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 42m

42m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Virginia Beach, VA → Virginia Beach Amtrak Bus Stop 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 42m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk → Norfolk, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Virginia Beach Amtrak Bus Stop 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Norfolk 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

55m

10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2608

Door-to-Door Timeline

Virginia Beach, VA → Virginia Beach (Circle D Food Mart) (VBH6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 10m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk (NOR6) → Norfolk, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From VBH6 — Virginia Beach (Circle D Food Mart) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To NOR6 — Norfolk 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	25m	2h 31m	1h 42m	55m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$3	$1
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Virginia Beach, VA to Norfolk, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.