Drive or Fly: Cedarburg, WI to Stevens Point, WI?

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 MKE–CWA. At 137 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 48m

Distance

137.4 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 18m

14m in the air

Air Distance

116 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedarburg, WI → MKE 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CWA → Stevens Point, WI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Cedarburg, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Stevens Point, WI CWA — Central Wisconsin Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and CWA. 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

4h 15m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

8 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedarburg, WI → Milwaukee 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Tomah Amtrak Station → Stevens Point, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Tomah Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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

6h 5m

4h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedarburg, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Wausau Transit Center (WAU6) → Stevens Point, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To WAU6 — Wausau Transit Center 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	2h 48m	3h 18m	4h 15m	6h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125	$29	$17
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Cedarburg, WI to Stevens Point, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.