No practical difference between PCR and RT-PCR for what you're asking. RT-PCR just means it's amplifying RNA, which is what coronaviruses have.

SARS-COV-2 is a single-stranded RNA virus, meaning viral particles carry RNA as its genetic code rather than DNA.

RT stands for reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that takes the genetic code from an RNA template and generates complementary DNA. Interestingly this enzyme is encoded by viruses themselves and is used to replicate their genomes. Best example is HIV.

To be able to run a quantitative PCR assay, we need DNA as an input. Since SARS-COV-2 is an RNA virus, we must first convert any RNA inside of a sample to DNA. This is what the RT part of RT-PCR assay stands for. Then we can run our PCR detection assay to determine if any and how much viral genetic code is present.

So to specifically answer your question, you actually need the RT-PCR test. Most places offering these services are probably just advertising it as "PCR" when they really mean RT-PCR.

If they are offering 1h RT-PCR services, they must be using one of the Accula detection systems which combine an RT-PCR with a lateral flow strip for hybridization detection...this is not the same as traditional qRT-PCR which will give you a cycle threshold value at the end. I would double check if that would count (have no idea).

In my lab, it takes us at least >3 hours to run a real qRT-PCR assay.... 1 h for the RT reaction, then 2 hours for the qPCR, + the handling time of samples, etc. That's why these tests take so long to turn around. And that's not taking into consideration if you have a backlog of samples in front of yours trying to get on the machine for a result.