Drive or Fly: Eau Claire, WI to New Holstein, 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–ATW. At 212 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 40m

Distance

212 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

86 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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 16m

21m in the air

Air Distance

179 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → EAU 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ATW → New Holstein, WI 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Eau Claire, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

New Holstein, WI ATW — Appleton International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAU and ATW. 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

6h 16m

2h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Winona 80m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 162m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → New Holstein, WI 94m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Winona 53 mi, ~80m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 63 mi, ~94m 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

6h 32m

5h 25m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

12 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 325m

Arrival 10m

Manitowoc (Shell) (MTT6) → New Holstein, WI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To MTT6 — Manitowoc (Shell) 21 mi, ~32m 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	4h 40m	3h 16m	6h 16m	6h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$28	$22
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	12 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

212 mi 4h 40m

via US 10, I 94, WI 32; WI 57

Alternative (+11 min)

234.3 mi 4h 51m

via WI 29, WI 32; WI 57, US 151; WI 32; WI 57

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Eau Claire, WI to New Holstein, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.