Drive or Fly: Eagan, MN to Rice Lake, MN?

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–TVF. At 262 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 36m

Distance

262.3 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

106 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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 59m

25m in the air

Air Distance

211 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eagan, MN → MSP 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TVF → Rice Lake, MN 84m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Eagan, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 6 mi, ~10m drive

Rice Lake, MN TVF — Thief River Falls Regional Airport 56 mi, ~84m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and TVF. 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

5h 53m

3h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eagan, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 233m

Arrival 10m

Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station → Rice Lake, MN 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station 42 mi, ~64m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 36m	3h 59m	5h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$183	$37
Carbon footprint	106 kg CO₂	54 kg CO₂	11 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 Eagan, MN to Rice Lake, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.