Drive or Fly: La Crosse, WI to Kiel, 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–ATW. At 203 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 18m

Distance

203.5 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 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

La Crosse, WI → LSE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ATW → Kiel, WI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Kiel, WI ATW — Appleton International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE and ATW. 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 41m

3h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → La Crosse 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → Kiel, WI 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From La Crosse 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Milwaukee 61 mi, ~91m 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	4h 18m	3h 20m	5h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181	$35
Carbon footprint	82 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 La Crosse, WI to Kiel, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.