Drive or Fly: La Crosse, WI to Augusta, 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 LSE–EAU. At 79 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

79.1 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 50m

7m in the air

Air Distance

61 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → LSE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Augusta, WI 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Augusta, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE and EAU. 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

2h 36m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → La Crosse 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Winona → Augusta, WI 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From La Crosse 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Winona 51 mi, ~76m 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	2h	2h 50m	2h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$122	$5
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	1 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 La Crosse, WI to Augusta, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.