Drive or Fly: Apple Valley, MN to Elk River, MN?

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 MSP–STC. At 52 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

52.2 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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

3h 4m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apple Valley, MN → MSP 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STC → Elk River, MN 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Apple Valley, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 10 mi, ~15m drive

Elk River, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and STC. 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

3h 50m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apple Valley, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Cloud Amtrak Station → Elk River, MN 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 16 mi, ~24m drive

To St. Cloud Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 57m

28m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apple Valley, MN → Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) 24m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 28m

Arrival 10m

Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) → Elk River, MN 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 16 mi, ~24m drive

To MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 26 mi, ~40m 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 5m	3h 4m	3h 50m	1h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$13	$1
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Apple Valley, MN to Elk River, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.