Drive or Fly: Frederic, WI to City of Janesville, 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–RFD. At 305 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 55m

Distance

305.8 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

124 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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

5h 1m

32m in the air

Air Distance

267 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frederic, WI → MSP 98m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → City of Janesville, WI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Frederic, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 65 mi, ~98m drive

City of Janesville, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and RFD. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 48m

4h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$46

CO2

13 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Frederic, WI → St. Paul-Minneapolis 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 274m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → City of Janesville, WI 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $46) $46

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 58 mi, ~86m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~68m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 55m	5h 1m	7h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$186	$46
Carbon footprint	124 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	13 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Frederic, WI to City of Janesville, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.