Drive or Fly: Alexandria, VA to Stephens City, 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 DCA–IAD. At 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 46m

Distance

87.6 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

3h 21m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → DCA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IAD → Stephens City, VA 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Stephens City, VA IAD — Washington Dulles International Airport 42 mi, ~63m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA and IAD. 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

4h 28m

2h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alexandria, VA → Alexandria 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 174m

Arrival 10m

Martinsburg Amtrak Station → Stephens City, VA 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Alexandria 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Martinsburg Amtrak Station 29 mi, ~44m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 46m	3h 21m	4h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	35 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

87.6 mi 1h 45m

via I 66, I 81, I 495

Alternative (+14 min)

89.2 mi 2h 0m

via VA 7, VA 267, I 495

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