Drive or Fly: Burnsville, MN to Thief River Falls, 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–TVF. At 309 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 2m

Distance

309.2 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

125 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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 54m

32m in the air

Air Distance

270 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

69 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burnsville, MN → MSP 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TVF → Thief River Falls, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Thief River Falls, MN TVF — Thief River Falls Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and TVF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 8m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 32m

6h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burnsville, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 381m

Arrival 10m

Grand Forks Amtrak Station → Thief River Falls, MN 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

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

To Grand Forks Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~68m 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	6h 2m	2h 54m	8h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$186	$56
Carbon footprint	125 kg CO₂	69 kg CO₂	16 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

309.2 mi 6h 1m

via US 10, US 59; MN 34, I 94

Alternative (+12 min)

331.1 mi 6h 13m

via I 94, US 59; MN 34, US 59

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