Drive or Fly: City of Janesville, WI to Balsam Lake, 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 RFD–MSP. At 294 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 40m

Distance

294.4 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

119 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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

4h 44m

31m in the air

Air Distance

256 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Janesville, WI → RFD 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Balsam Lake, WI 82m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

City of Janesville, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

Balsam Lake, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 54 mi, ~82m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RFD 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 27m

4h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$46

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Janesville, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 287m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Balsam Lake, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $46) $46

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

Stations

From Columbus Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 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	5h 40m	4h 44m	6h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$46
Carbon footprint	119 kg CO₂	65 kg CO₂	17 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from City of Janesville, WI to Balsam Lake, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.