Drive or Fly: Eau Claire, WI to Saint Croix Falls, 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–MSP. At 93 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 5m

Distance

93.7 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 27m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → EAU 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Saint Croix Falls, WI 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Saint Croix Falls, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAU and MSP. 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 36m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

5 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Winona 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Saint Croix Falls, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Winona 0 mi, ~30m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~30m 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

2h 20m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eau Claire, WI → Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Saint Croix Falls, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 0 mi, ~30m 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	2h 5m	3h 27m	3h 36m	2h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$19	$6
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

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