Drive or Fly: Cylon, WI to Emerald, 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 MSP–EAU. At 7 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

18m

Distance

7.3 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

3 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$2

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 10m

1m in the air

Air Distance

5 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cylon, WI → MSP 68m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Emerald, WI 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Cylon, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 46 mi, ~68m drive

Emerald, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP 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

3h 22m

48m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cylon, WI → St. Paul-Minneapolis 57m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 48m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Emerald, WI 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 38 mi, ~57m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~57m 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	18m	4h 10m	3h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$8
Carbon footprint	3 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	2 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

7.3 mi 17m

via CTH S

Alternative (+2 min)

8.2 mi 20m

via CTH G

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