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Drive or Fly: Ellsworth, WI to Racine, 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 MSP–MKE. At 317 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 22m

Distance

317.8 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

128 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70
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 53m

33m in the air

Air Distance

273 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ellsworth, WI → MSP 56m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 33m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Racine, WI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ellsworth, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 37 mi, ~56m drive
Racine, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and MKE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 29m compared to driving
+ 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 43m

5h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$53

CO2

15 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ellsworth, WI → Red Wing Amtrak Station 18m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 335m
Arrival 10m
Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Racine, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $53) $53

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

Stations

From Red Wing Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m drive
To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m 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

8h 8m

6h 48m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ellsworth, WI → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 30m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 408m
Arrival 10m
Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) → Racine, WI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 20 mi, ~30m drive
To 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 16 mi, ~25m 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 6h 22m 3h 53m 6h 43m 8h 8m
Total cost (1 person) $105 $186 $53 $30
Carbon footprint 128 kg CO2 70 kg CO2 15 kg CO2 16 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
317.8 mi 6h 21m

via I 94, US 10, I 41; I 94; US 41

Alternative (+23 min)
321.9 mi 6h 45m

via I 94, US 10, I 39; I 90

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ellsworth, WI to Racine, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.