Drive or Fly: Eagle River, WI to Wauwatosa, 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 RHI–MKE. At 236 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 6m

Distance

236.7 mi

Total Cost

$88

CO2

96 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$53
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 13m

25m in the air

Air Distance

207 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

53 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eagle River, WI → RHI 34m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 25m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Wauwatosa, WI 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Eagle River, WI RHI — Rhinelander Oneida County Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive
Wauwatosa, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RHI 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
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 58m

4h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eagle River, WI → Wausau Transit Center (WAU6) 103m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 280m
Arrival 10m
Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) → Wauwatosa, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From WAU6 — Wausau Transit Center 69 mi, ~103m drive
To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 5 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 4h 6m 3h 13m 6h 58m
Total cost (1 person) $88 $183 $17
Carbon footprint 96 kg CO2 53 kg CO2 9 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: 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 Eagle River, WI to Wauwatosa, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.