Drive or Fly: Cape Charles, 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 43 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 4m

Distance

43.8 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

18 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 56m

4m in the air

Air Distance

33 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cape Charles, VA → ORF 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Norfolk, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Cape Charles, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 28 mi, ~42m 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

2h 16m

42m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cape Charles, VA → Virginia Beach Amtrak Bus Stop 44m

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 29 mi, ~44m 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

1h 29m

10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2608

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cape Charles, VA → Virginia Beach (Circle D Food Mart) (VBH6) 44m

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) 30 mi, ~44m 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	1h 4m	2h 56m	2h 16m	1h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$3	$1
Carbon footprint	18 kg CO₂	8 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 21, 2026.

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