Drive or Fly: Elk River, MN to Maple Grove, 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 STC–MSP. At 19 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

22m

Distance

19.6 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 12m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elk River, MN → STC 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Maple Grove, MN 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Elk River, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

Maple Grove, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 18 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STC 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

4h 1m

2h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elk River, MN → St. Cloud Amtrak Station 50m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 121m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Maple Grove, MN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Cloud Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 20 mi, ~30m 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	22m	3h 12m	4h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$13
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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 Elk River, MN to Maple Grove, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.