Drive or Fly: Alexandria, VA to South Hill, VA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

At this distance, driving is almost always faster and cheaper door-to-door.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 54m

Distance

193.7 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 39m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → South Hill, VA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Alexandria, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

South Hill, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

96.4%

Cancellation

3.6%

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 25m

4h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → Alexandria 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 265m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk → South Hill, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Alexandria 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Norfolk 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~16/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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 15m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus N2601

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → Arlington (Rosslyn) (6RL) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 255m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk (NOR6) → South Hill, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 6RL — Arlington (Rosslyn) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To NOR6 — Norfolk 5 mi, ~10m 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	3h 54m	2h 39m	5h 25m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$28	$16
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	96% on-time

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 Jun 3, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alexandria, VA to South Hill, VA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.