Drive or Fly: Franklin, WI to Sauk City, 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–MSN. At 103 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 9m

Distance

103.5 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

42 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 55m

11m in the air

Air Distance

89 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → MKE 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Sauk City, WI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Franklin, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Sauk City, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSN. 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 23m

1h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 119m

Arrival 10m

Portage → Sauk City, WI 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To Portage 23 mi, ~34m 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

3h 19m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Sauk City, WI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 21 mi, ~32m 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 9m	2h 55m	3h 23m	3h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$18	$8
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	5 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, 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 Franklin, WI to Sauk City, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.