Drive or Fly: Grafton, 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 191 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 26m

Distance

191.6 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 9m

20m in the air

Air Distance

169 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grafton, WI → MKE 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LSE → North La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Grafton, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 26 mi, ~39m 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 39m

3h 19m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grafton, WI → Milwaukee 30m

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 20 mi, ~30m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 48m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grafton, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Tomah (McDonald's) (TOM6) → North La Crosse, WI 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 20 mi, ~30m drive

To TOM6 — Tomah (McDonald's) 39 mi, ~58m 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	3h 26m	3h 9m	4h 39m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$35	$16
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	8 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

198.1 mi 4h 11m

via I 90; I 94, I 90, WI 33

Alternative (+18 min)

202.8 mi 4h 30m

via I 90, I 41; US 41, WI 82

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