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Drive or Fly: Kiel, WI to 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 ATW–LSE. At 200 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 31m

Distance

200.7 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45
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 20m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kiel, WI → ATW 51m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 19m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LSE → La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Kiel, WI ATW — Appleton International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive
La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ATW 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
− May need a rental car at destination
− Luggage fees and restrictions
− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 40m

3h 19m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kiel, WI → Milwaukee 91m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 199m
Arrival 10m
La Crosse → La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 61 mi, ~91m drive
To La Crosse 2 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 3h 31m 3h 20m 5h 40m
Total cost (1 person) $80 $181 $35
Carbon footprint 81 kg CO2 41 kg CO2 10 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 12, 2026.

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