Drive or Fly: Bethel, NC to Durham, 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 54 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 22m

Distance

54.3 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 15m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethel, NC → GSO 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDU → Durham, NC 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Bethel, NC GSO — Piedmont Triad International Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

Durham, NC RDU — Raleigh-Durham International Airport 10 mi, ~15m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 19m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus N2471

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethel, NC → Greensboro Bus Stop (GBO6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Durham (4DU) → Durham, NC 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From GBO6 — Greensboro Bus Stop 33 mi, ~49m drive

To 4DU — Durham 1 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 22m	3h 15m	2h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$5
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	11 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: 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

54.3 mi 1h 21m

via US 158; NC 86, NC 49; NC 86, US 70 Bypass

Alternative (+13 min)

75.2 mi 1h 35m

via NC 87, I 40; I 85, US 29

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