Drive or Fly: Burnsville, MN to Saint Cloud, 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 81 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 23m

Distance

81.1 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 30m

8m in the air

Air Distance

70 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burnsville, MN → MSP 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STC → Saint Cloud, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Saint Cloud, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m 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 9m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burnsville, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Cloud Amtrak Station → Saint Cloud, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 16 mi, ~23m drive

To St. Cloud Amtrak Station 1 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 23m	2h 30m	3h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

80.8 mi 1h 39m

via I 94, I 494; MN 5, I 35W

Alternative (+19 min)

86.5 mi 1h 58m

via MN 55, I 94, I 494; MN 5

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