Drive or Fly: Big Lake, MN to Saint Paul, 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 STC–MSP. At 48 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

48 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 49m

5m in the air

Air Distance

42 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Big Lake, MN → STC 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Saint Paul, MN 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Big Lake, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

Saint Paul, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STC and MSP. 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 29m

2h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Big Lake, MN → St. Cloud Amtrak Station 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 121m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Saint Paul, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Cloud Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~38m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~10m 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 50m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Big Lake, MN → Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) 50m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) → Saint Paul, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 33 mi, ~50m drive

To STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 0 mi, ~10m 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	2h 49m	3h 29m	1h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$13	$1
Carbon footprint	19 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

48 mi 1h 0m

via US 10

Alternative (+8 min)

52.4 mi 1h 9m

via I 94

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Big Lake, MN to Saint Paul, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.