Drive or Fly: Hillsville, VA to Alexandria, 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 ROA–DCA. At 318 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

318.5 mi

Total Cost

$112

CO2

129 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$77

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

4h 6m

30m in the air

Air Distance

246 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

63 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsville, VA → ROA 86m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DCA → Alexandria, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Hillsville, VA ROA — Roanoke–Blacksburg Regional Airport 57 mi, ~86m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ROA and DCA. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 31m

4h 51m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

18 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hillsville, VA → Roanoke (RNK) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 291m

Arrival 10m

Alexandria (ALX) → Alexandria, VA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From RNK — Roanoke 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ALX — Alexandria 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~24/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	6h	4h 6m	6h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$112	$185	$38
Carbon footprint	129 kg CO₂	63 kg CO₂	18 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 Oct 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

318.5 mi 6h 0m

via I 81; US 11, I 81, I 66

Shortest (+13 min)

304.8 mi 6h 13m

via I 81; US 11, I 95, I 64

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