Drive or Fly: Lake Ridge, VA to Portsmouth, 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–ORF. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 30m

Distance

178.8 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 54m

17m in the air

Air Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Ridge, VA → DCA 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORF → Portsmouth, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Lake Ridge, VA DCA — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Portsmouth, VA ORF — Norfolk International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DCA 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

5h 3m

4h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Northeast Regional

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Ridge, VA → Woodbridge Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 243m

Arrival 10m

Norfolk → Portsmouth, VA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Woodbridge Amtrak 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Norfolk 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 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	3h 30m	2h 54m	5h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$27
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 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 21, 2026.

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