Drive or Fly: Grove Lake, MN to Glenwood, MN?

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 STC–STC. At 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

27m

Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

6 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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

4h 58m

1m in the air

Air Distance

11 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grove Lake, MN → STC 80m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STC → Glenwood, MN 97m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Grove Lake, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 53 mi, ~80m drive

Glenwood, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 65 mi, ~97m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STC and STC. 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 19m

1h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grove Lake, MN → St. Cloud Amtrak Station 73m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 61m

Arrival 10m

Staples Amtrak Station → Glenwood, MN 85m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Cloud Amtrak Station 49 mi, ~73m drive

To Staples Amtrak Station 56 mi, ~85m 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	27m	4h 58m	4h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$120	$13
Carbon footprint	6 kg CO₂	3 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 — 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

16 mi 26m

via MN 55, CR 20

Shortest (+2 min)

13.4 mi 29m

via CR 22, MN 28

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Grove Lake, MN to Glenwood, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.