Drive or Fly: Crescent, WI to Chippewa Falls, 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 EAU–EAU. At 22 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

31m

Distance

22.6 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 44m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crescent, WI → EAU 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Chippewa Falls, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Crescent, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 22 mi, ~32m drive

Chippewa Falls, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAU and EAU. 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

5h 7m

1h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crescent, WI → Winona 112m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 62m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Chippewa Falls, WI 93m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Winona 75 mi, ~112m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 62 mi, ~93m 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 25m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crescent, WI → Stanley WI (STI6) 20m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Chippewa Falls (CIP6) → Chippewa Falls, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From STI6 — Stanley WI 13 mi, ~20m drive

To CIP6 — Chippewa Falls 4 mi, ~10m 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	31m	2h 44m	5h 7m	1h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$11	$3
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	3 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

22.6 mi 31m

via WI 29, WI 27

Shortest (+2 min)

20.4 mi 34m

via WI 178; CTH Y, CTH S

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Crescent, WI to Chippewa Falls, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.