Drive or Fly: Elm Grove, WI to North La Crosse, 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 MKE–LSE. At 199 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 39m

Distance

199.5 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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

2h 47m

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elm Grove, WI → MKE 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LSE → North La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Elm Grove, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

North La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and LSE. 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 21m

3h 19m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elm Grove, WI → Milwaukee 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 199m

Arrival 10m

La Crosse → North La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 8 mi, ~12m drive

To La Crosse 1 mi, ~10m 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	3h 39m	2h 47m	4h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$35
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Elm Grove, WI to North La Crosse, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.