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Drive or Fly: Franklin, WI to Hudson, 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–MSP. At 314 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 46m

Distance

314.1 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

127 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69
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 21m

33m in the air

Air Distance

275 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → MKE 12m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 33m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MSP → Hudson, WI 36m

Cost Breakdown

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

Airports

Franklin, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive
Hudson, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 25m 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

7h 33m

6h 19m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 379m
Arrival 10m
St. Paul-Minneapolis → Hudson, WI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive
To St. Paul-Minneapolis 16 mi, ~24m 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

7h 32m

6h 45m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) 12m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 405m
Arrival 10m
Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Hudson, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive
To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 2 mi, ~10m 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 5h 46m 3h 21m 7h 33m 7h 32m
Total cost (1 person) $104 $186 $58 $30
Carbon footprint 127 kg CO2 70 kg CO2 17 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 18, 2026.

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