Drive or Fly: Dodgeville, WI to Racine, 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 MSN–MKE. At 151 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

151.2 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 41m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dodgeville, WI → MSN 63m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Racine, WI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Dodgeville, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 42 mi, ~63m drive

Racine, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and MKE. 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 39m

2h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dodgeville, WI → Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station 74m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Racine, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station 49 mi, ~74m drive

To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 55m

2h 8m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dodgeville, WI → Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) 57m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 128m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) → Racine, WI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 38 mi, ~57m drive

To 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	3h 5m	3h 41m	4h 39m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$23	$8
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

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