The Price of Driving in 2026
So, we’ve covered the price drivers pay in time over the years—but do you know how much it’s costing your wallet, even if you’re only driving three times a week in 2026? With gas prices on the rise and Earth Month in full swing, choosing rail just makes sense.
VRE’s planning department has done the math on a 2023 new car ($34,876) and all the costs that come with it—financing, fuel, insurance, taxes, and repairs—and how that compares to miles inbound from stations as far as Spotsylvania (61.3 miles) to Backlick Road (12.2 miles).
If you’re a hybrid commuter, like many workers have been since the pandemic, commuting even three times a week from Spotsylvania would cost you $6,118.06 over 48 working weeks in a calendar year—accounting for major holidays and time off—compared to $3,876.37 if you chose to take the train on those same three in-office days. In comparison, someone choosing to travel from Backlick Road by car instead of the train is losing $746.77 that year just to sit in traffic instead of taking the train. Even if I were riding from Woodbridge, opting to take the 21.9 miles by train instead of driving just twice per pay period, I’d save $305.68 a year. That’s enough to splurge on fifty $7 lattes throughout the year or pick up twenty-three paperback books—two things you could enjoy instead of spending that money on the road!
Small swaps in your routine can add up to real savings—and a lot less time spent staring at brake lights... If you’re curious, calculate the cost of your own commute here to see what changes you can make to save a bit more.
Sources
AAA. Your Driving Costs 2023 Brochure.View Report
AAA. Your Driving Costs 2023 Fact Sheet.View Fact Sheet
AAA. Your Driving Costs Calculator.https://www.aaa.com/autorepair/drivingcosts
Virginia Railway Express. 2023 Passenger Survey Report.View the Report